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6/21/2008

10 "musts" for innovation

As blogged by Paul Williams over at Think For Change.

This post is sooooooo to the point that I really have nothing to add. Here’s what Paul said..

“I recently had a prospective client ask me, "How can I make my employees just "do" innovation?"

Well...it took a few back and forth discussions to clarify that statement, but what she was essentially asking was, "How long until my employees innovate without even thinking about it?"

Whew...that's a tough one!

I actually get asked this question a lot when presenting at conferences and other speaking opportunities, so I thought I would give out my Top Ten of Making Innovation Happen Every Day:

  • Innovation MUST be tied to the organizational strategy

  • Innovation MUST be on the leadership agenda and discussed at every leadership meeting

  • Innovation MUST be led by at least one C-Level or SVP-Level person

  • Ideas (from ANY source) MUST have a path/process to follow

  • Customers/Consumer MUST have a voice

  • Resources (People, Money & Time) MUST be made available for innovation

  • A culture of risk taking, fast failure, experimentation and imagination MUST exist and be supported/protected

  • The organization MUST be made up of skilled and diverse individuals who are set "free"

  • The organization MUST seek to be a leader of "next practices" not a follower of "best practices"

  • The organization MUST have the courage to KILL projects, ideas, lines of business, etc. that don't work


Once you have these ten "MUST's" in place, I think you will find that your employees, front-line managers, middle managers and senior leaders will be innovating...everyday...all day...”


Wow ... Amen!

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