Innovation= Freedom of Thought/Creativity
Innovation IS NOT a process OR a systematic procedure
A few days ago I was engaged in a conversation with a client around innovation. I asked him to explain what innovation meant to him and his company. He said: “ We are highly innovative and have a great innovative culture. We have defined innovation in a series of definitive steps and processes that everyone needs to follow – at the end of which we will have an acceptable number of new products”. Right there, every word he uttered was ANTI-Innovation to me. Let’s break down the reason each word gave me a heartache and head-spin:
- They are not highly innovative. They strive to be! The culture is top-down, hugely hierarchical and buried in procedure. They have a long ways to go.
- Innovation by default is organic and it’s value is the fact that it is creative. You CANNOT and should not define creativity and free thinking.
- Definitive steps in innovation is the new term for steps in the process which will develop MORE OF THE SAME! The first two points above do not allow free thinking and most importantly kill disruption.
- Steps that everyone needs to follow implies exactly what they have now, which is a highly stifling, multi-step procedure which kills disruption and innovation before it can see the light.
- First of all the culture of innovation is non-existent. And specifically, a culture of disruption is completely absent. Culture refers to people. A ‘Culture of Disruption’ and ‘innovation’ implies that there exists a cohesive, open, free thinking and highly creative culture (group) that functions in unison (yet with high degrees of freedom) to succeed. We discuss all of this in ProVoke and the Culture of Disruption.
- And, what made me gasp for air was the COMPLETE absence of the essential ingredients of a successful culture of innovation: 1. Bold Vision, 2. Passion, 3. Leadership and 4. Inspiration – to name a few!
- We need to be mindful of the Ecosystem of Disruption and all the players in the ecosystem. When we innovate, it is about the many things that shift and evolve. Beyond products, we develop new services, platforms, culture, partnerships, and much more. A culture of innovation is not a top-down innovation mandate!
Fortunately, we were able to openly discuss our different points of view and worked through the elements above. Several hours later we were on much stronger footing with a clearer view of what innovation is and what it is not. Innovation and specifically, the culture of disruption is not a process and there is no magic formula.
Innovation starts with the culture- the people. People are the ones who can innovate, create and make the impossible be possible! Starting with the ‘process’ first assumes people will follow. Soon enough the ‘process of innovation’ can kill innovation. We need to think like entrepreneurs, be without barriers. Don’t color ‘in the lines’ but decide what your painting needs to be.
The key is to bring entrepreneurism into enterprises. Check out my recent blog post on inter-preneurism where I address this topic..