What do you do if your organization lacks innovation?

Many people and companies see innovation as large-scale changes that are unfeasible for their work. Starting small while consistently communicating the importance of change is critical. Even cultures trapped in the 'we've always done it this way' mindset have opportunities to improve efficiencies. Find a few people in the organization interested in process improvement and allow them to use some of their time to learn the process in depth, investigate alternatives, and suggest options. If their efforts make someone's work easier, highlight the gain. Chipping away at the goal of making work easier will begin to shift the culture.

Organisations confront lack of commitment from their employees for creative instincts and innovation when the organisation culture becomes non-conducive. Best cultures to perform and achieve extremely high creative drive depends on the culture factor or the DNA of the organization. Next steps 1. Have open forums with top leadership where everyone across the organization is provided a platform to speak about improvements of processes. 2. Create rewarding mechanism for groups presenting creative initiatives that could be immediately embraced and implemented. 3. Showcase creative champions around the organizations and celebrate their initiatives. 4. Avoid a blaming naming and shaming of people when their efforts had stumbling blocks

Culture is a very broad topic that could include a lot of topics. Below are some aspects of innovation culture to measure: - Empowerment (decision authority, willingness to speak up, encouragement to speak up, acting on employee feedback) - Enablement (bringing ideas to market, work tools and processes, open communication, information availability and utilization of skills) - Teamwork (within teams, across teams) - Recognition & Rewards (rewarding innovation, recognizing innovation) - Strategy (prioritizing innovation, clarity of priorities) - Feedback (employees receiving internal/external customer feedback, regular solicitation of employee feedback, acting on feedback)

Start by conducting a thorough assessment of your organization's current state regarding innovation. Identify areas where innovation is lacking and the factors contributing to this situation, such as rigid structures, fear of failure, or a lack of resources. Cultivate a work environment that encourages creativity, experimentation, and risk-taking. Encourage employees at all levels to share their ideas and suggestions openly, and recognize and reward innovative thinking and initiatives.

Empower employees to take ownership of innovation by providing them with the autonomy, resources, and support they need to pursue innovative ideas and projects. Encourage cross-functional collaboration and create platforms for idea-sharing and collaboration.

Provide Resources and Support: Allocate resources, such as time, budget, and tools, to support innovation initiatives. Create cross-functional teams and provide them with the autonomy to explore new ideas and solutions.

Empowering teams is the cornerstone of innovation. When leaders bestow autonomy and decision-making authority upon their teams, they ignite a transformative energy that fuels creativity and ownership. By delegating challenging tasks, leaders allow team members to unleash their full potential and showcase their unique talents. Providing ample resources and reaffirming the value of their contributions instils a sense of purpose and pride. This not only elevates morale but also fosters a culture where proactive problem-solving and groundbreaking innovation flourish, propelling the organization towards unprecedented success.

One way of implement processes is to ask the team to do a new thing at work at least every week. Try a new way to answer email, to build an excel sheet, etc...

Implement structured processes and frameworks for generating, evaluating, and implementing innovative ideas. Define clear guidelines and procedures for idea submission, review, and implementation, and allocate resources for innovation projects.

Lead by Example: Demonstrate your commitment to innovation by actively engaging in brainstorming sessions, experimenting with new approaches, and recognizing and rewarding innovative behaviors.

Structured processes are pivotal for fostering innovation. Introduce regular brainstorming sessions, establish a robust system for idea submission and review, and define clear pathways for implementation. This ensures that good ideas don’t get lost and are swiftly transformed into actionable projects, driving the organisation’s progress.

People innovate when it's safe to fail - one of the best processes that can be introduced is one which celebrates failures as way to learn from them. Encouraging open conversations about where things are going wrong and productive actions about how they're prevented in the future highlights that the culture encourages failure as a by-product of innovation.

Encourage Collaboration: Foster collaboration and knowledge sharing across teams and departments. Encourage employees to collaborate on projects, share insights, and learn from each other's experiences.

Investing in training is paramount for nurturing an innovative mindset. Provide workshops and courses centred on creative thinking, problem-solving, and industry trends. This equips your team with the tools for innovation and underscores your dedication to their growth. As your team develops, so does the potential for innovation within your organisation.

Training is paramount for more creative thinking - but it doesn't need to be as complex as you think. Yes there are models and stories that can be told to support, but the best innovation comes from a place of safety and environment. Take your team out of their usual environment, give them space and time and they're bound to start thinking differently.

Create an Innovation Framework: Develop a structured framework or process for generating, evaluating, and implementing new ideas. Encourage employees to submit ideas, provide feedback, and participate in innovation workshops or hackathons.

Evaluating and adapting are crucial for sustained innovation. Continuously assess the effectiveness of your strategies and be open to adjustments. Seek feedback from your team and be ready to pivot based on insights. This iterative approach ensures your organisation remains agile and responsive to evolving business dynamics.

Celebrate successes and milestones achieved through innovation efforts, and recognize individuals and teams for their contributions. Encourage a mindset of learning from failures and using setbacks as opportunities for growth and improvement.

Celebrate Successes and Learn from Failures: Celebrate successful innovations and recognize the individuals or teams behind them. At the same time, create a safe environment where employees feel comfortable sharing and learning from their failures.

Form a dedicated team or task force responsible for driving innovation initiatives across the organization. Empower this team to explore new opportunities, experiment with innovative solutions, and drive change in collaboration with other departments.

Finally the company is the reflection of the members composing it. So each member should work on it at home by trying new things as often as possible. Try to wear 2 different socks, to listen to a new music style, a new recipe. It will make you more comfortable in uncomfortable situation. The +++: it's fun to do it!!!

Provide Employees With Creative Resources – Developing a space where employees can brainstorm ideas freely encourages collaboration amongst workers which breeds creativity allowing them to source solutions outside conventional box thinking mindset…….

Seek External Inspiration: Look outside the organization for inspiration and best practices in innovation. Attend industry conferences, participate in networking events, and engage with thought leaders to stay informed about emerging trends and technologies.

Innovation is as a result of psychological safety. If you want more of it, invest in thinking around how to make your team feel safe to shout up.