Your innovation culture is closely linked to your innovation results.
Can you describe your organization’s innovation culture? Most managers
can’t, and that means that most companies have room for growth in this
vital area.
Nilofer Merchant has coined the term “air sandwich” to describe
enterprises where the lofty talk at the top is not connected with the
reality on the ground. There is nothing to link strategy with
operations. Likewise, almost every company talks about innovation.
Some even implement platforms and programs to promote innovation.
However, very few develop a culture of innovation. Therefore, very few
see consistently excellent results from their innovative efforts.
The good news is that culture is not mysterious. It is manageable.
Through their innovation policies, programs and structures, the
world’s most innovative companies make innovation happen regularly,
and they improve their results by hundreds of millions of dollars,
even billions of dollars. They create and sustain competitive
advantage, and that is the key to business success.
Want to know how to turn your company’s innovation culture into a
force for quantum improvement?
Contact us now to begin the
dialog.
ELEMENTS OF YOUR INNOVATION CULTURE
Good news! Culture is manageable. Here are the three levers that you
can push to build a culture of innovation in your organization.
1. POLICIES
Actions speak louder than words. Talking about innovation is not
enough. To build a world-class culture of innovation, you must set
goals and policies that demonstrate the importance and priority you
attach to innovation.
2. PROGRAMS
The smart leader does more than set the bar high. The smart leader
equips the team to achieve the goal. Your innovation program shows
how many human resources and how much of your company’s financial
resources you are willing to invest in innovation, to enable and
manage innovation in a world-class way.
3. STRUCTURES
The final lever is your table of organization. Employees at the most
innovative companies in the world know where to take their
innovative ideas because the appropriate innovation officers,
mentors, coaches, online platforms, departments, or other corporate
structures are in place and well publicized.
At The Innovation Workgroup, we know what kinds of policies,
programs and structures are used by the world’s most innovative
companies. Engage with us to select the right ones for your company.
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