Innovation is often viewed as a "silver bullet" solution by leaders and managers in today’s challenging business environment. However, it is important to note when it makes sound business sense and when it doesn’t. As a guiding principle, Innovation makes sense when a business is faced with unfavorable conditions that call for different solutions, not just better execution, for instance, through improved quality. It also makes sense when a business or industry is faced with favorable growth opportunities. However, Innovation involves specific, singular breakthroughs and as such, is different from Adaptability (the willingness and ability to adapt—whether proactively or reactively) which is a related, but different strength. In fact, some of the most innovative individuals and organizations I’ve worked with during my career were highly Innovative. Yet, while highly successful at times, those who were not also adaptable ultimately became much less successful over time. So, what can we learn and put to good use from experts who have studied and helped organizations succeed at Innovation? Let’s look at three world-renowned resources.
Researchers such as Prof. Robert Quinn have shown how Innovation is a sound strategy for organizations externally focused on growth, expansion, transformation, and differentiation. Interestingly, for this strategy to be optimized he says such organizations must also be Adaptable. By contrast, both he and Prof. Gary Hamel point out that it makes less sense for the other three types of organizations focused on efficiency, control, or responsiveness.
Hamel calls organizations that often change the ‘rules’ proactive strategic innovators. He has cited five lessons that those seeking to build a continuous Innovation culture would be advised to implement. They are:
1. ambitious growth objectives that cannot be achieved without innovation
2. working from the customer-in (market-driven focus), not the existing products focus
3. an organization where great ideas win, no matter where they come from
4. rapid experimentation and prototyping for testing new ideas quickly in ways that make it difficult for competitors to keep up
5. a loose, evolving definition of service offerings to minimize getting boxed into past versus new breakthroughs or changing opportunities
Dr. Edward deBono, widely recognized as a brilliant Innovator and expert on the subject of Creativity, identified four common roadblocks to Innovation by people that, in turn, limit organizational Innovation. They are: complacency, non-attention, lock-in to one’s comfort zone (with past/current practices), and limited self-perception. He also identified the antidote to these roadblocks as five key attributes of innovative, creative individuals and teams that can be developed to strengthen personal and organizational Innovation. These are:
1. Imagining Possibilities
2. Generating New Ideas
3. Improvisation
4. Effort
5. Focusing
Among Dr. deBono’s many powerful insights are that the best ideas seldom come first, and the most significant creative breakthroughs are preceded by repeated efforts, not instantaneous flashes of brilliance.
Dr. Michael O’Connor is a recognized thought leader, executive coach and founder of Life Associates & The Center For Managing By Values. Michael is the co-author of "Managing By Values," and offers executive consulting services to assist in implementing the Managing By Values and other processes geared toward fulfilling the highest potential of individuals, workgroups, teams and organizations. He is also co-author of several other books including "The Leader Within," and "Stepping Stones To Success" with Deepak Chopra, Jack Canfield, Denis Waitley (2010, Insight Publishing), the Personal Global Profiles System (‘GPS’) Online Resource for Assessment and Development, and more. For additional information visit www.lifeassociatesinc.com.
