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How would you promote innovation?
As a business owner or as a member of the management team, how would you encourage innovation in your organization?
If you are a part of a large organization, are you happy with the current processes in place? Do they encourage or hamper innovation?
What do you think?
Discussion
3 comments for “How would you promote innovation?”
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I’d define innovation as moving a product or service to the next level, like from Vinyl to CD, from text-based to graphics based GUI in computing, etc. Those innovations have been heavily funded and required a significant amount of research.
However, in the Web world, one can innovate a bit cheaper. The famous ‘Squeeze Page’ is such an example. One guy just had the idea to block his Web site and require people to sign-up with their email address. It’s an innovation, isn’t it?
Especially in the Web world, you can encourage innovation by thinking ‘results oriented’ and give your team freedom, but it takes kind of a visionary leader to follow through. Not every innovation will be cheap to come up with. –John
Thanks for your inputs John. I may be wrong here, but I get a feeling your reasoning alignes more with inventions rather than innovation.
I would categorize inventions as a subset of innovation. The “Squeeze Page” you mentioned is what I would call innovation.
Innovation does not have to cost. In fact the result of an innovative idea is usually a decrease in cost.
What do you think?
CA, you say, “Innovation does not have to cost. In fact the result of an innovative idea is usually a decrease in cost.” This is true in the long run, and only if the effort produces a real innovation. If it fails, ….
I found a quote that I liked at
http://workmash.wordpress.com/2007/10/29/gifford-pinchot-on-how-to-encourage-innovation-at-work/
“Our winning strategy for fostering innovation at work comes from Barrie W. in Mississauga, Canada. ‘People who come up with innovative solutions to a problem are always rewarded when the solution is a success; indirectly punished for failures; and, the work is usually stopped and innovation stifled if discovered before the job is complete. To keep innovation alive, in most companies, the innovative work must be hidden from senior management until a good solution is developed. To create a truly innovative company, the senior managers must create and support an innovative environment and maintain their commitment. Otherwise, innovation will only be created through the courage of individuals, and the support of their managers.’