Q. What are the building blocks for delivering continuous innovation?
What are the most important factors in creating an innovative culture and delivering continuous improvements/growth?
The fundamental questions even before this question may be...
(A) Which are the areas that really need continuous innovation
(B) At what speed or rate is continuous innovation really needed in each of these areas? For instance, it may take time for certain ideas, plans, actions, products to start showing results. Premature re-invention / innovation may do more harm than good.
Answers to the above questions actually help in identifying the precise building blocks for continuous innovation in various departments within an organization.
But in general...
(1) I would say that the 'pursuit of excellence' is at the very core of driving innovation, hence a fundamental building block for continuous innovation. People who are result oriented and highly quality conscious need not be told to be innovative. They will innovate, despite you.
(2) The environment (policies, org structures, work culture, reward and compensation structures, etc.) is the next most potent building block. For instance, we know that some companies value loyalty and tenure and somewhat willingly put up with complacency and mediocracy, though they may not openly admit to doing so. In some places, beuracracy impedes continuous innovation. In some places the compelling need to show increasing revenue / profits every quarter restricts continuous innovation.
(3) Lastly, courage and the ability to take calculated prudent risks is an important building block. Forget fancy techniques for continuous innovation at large organizations... how many of us have the guts to giveup what we have to start from scratch and make the best of ourselves, despite knowing that thats' what we need to do?
What are the most important factors in creating an innovative culture and delivering continuous improvements/growth?
The fundamental questions even before this question may be...
(A) Which are the areas that really need continuous innovation
(B) At what speed or rate is continuous innovation really needed in each of these areas? For instance, it may take time for certain ideas, plans, actions, products to start showing results. Premature re-invention / innovation may do more harm than good.
Answers to the above questions actually help in identifying the precise building blocks for continuous innovation in various departments within an organization.
But in general...
(1) I would say that the 'pursuit of excellence' is at the very core of driving innovation, hence a fundamental building block for continuous innovation. People who are result oriented and highly quality conscious need not be told to be innovative. They will innovate, despite you.
(2) The environment (policies, org structures, work culture, reward and compensation structures, etc.) is the next most potent building block. For instance, we know that some companies value loyalty and tenure and somewhat willingly put up with complacency and mediocracy, though they may not openly admit to doing so. In some places, beuracracy impedes continuous innovation. In some places the compelling need to show increasing revenue / profits every quarter restricts continuous innovation.
(3) Lastly, courage and the ability to take calculated prudent risks is an important building block. Forget fancy techniques for continuous innovation at large organizations... how many of us have the guts to giveup what we have to start from scratch and make the best of ourselves, despite knowing that thats' what we need to do?
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