I’ve talked to you before about how innovation is the key to an organisation’s success and I meant it. Without innovation, we’re never going to be able to achieve the kind of gains (or savings) we are looking to make.To that extent, we’re witnessing another great industry transition as we move from the Knowledge Economy to the Innovation Economy. As people become increasingly aware of how crucial Innovation is, people are becoming increasingly sophisticated in how it is managed within their organisations.
Innovation has become the #1 goal of every major organisation, primarily due to the reason that we simply can’t continue as we have been if we are to make significant changes to our success for whatever reason.
As it turns out, actually having the idea is the easy bit, it’s being able to respond to it as an organisation that’s hard. As a result, organisations are increasingly reaching out for tools that help them manage the process of innovation.
To be truly successful, Innovation has to be something that is at the very essence of both the organisation and the individuals within – Microsoft is a great example of this. OK you can argue that releasing Office Suite after Office Suite isn’t exactly the pinnacle of Innovative success, but a lot of what Microsoft does is a direct result of true innovation much of which has been instigated by a single individual or small group of people and acted upon by the entire organisation.
Innovation has to be in your organisation’s DNA, it sounds a bit over the top, but it’s true. Rightly or wrongly, you have to believe you can all make a difference and feel empowered by your organisation to make a difference.
How does your organisation treat Innovation? Is it simply a suggestion box or is it more fundamental to the operation? The answer will tell you a lot about your organisation (and your prospects for the future…)
Tags: Innovation, innovation management