You're leading a research and development team. How can you foster innovation?

We, as engineers and scientists, sometimes tend to start our innovation efforts with a focus on 'technology'. A better starting point would be the 'problem to solve'. This shift from a 'technology-first' to a 'problem-first' approach anchors our efforts on user needs and market demands. Therefore, ultimately, it would make our technology development efforts and solutions more meaningful and effective.

O aumento da cultura de inova??o em uma organiza??o está diretamente ligado ao aumento do Letramento em Inova??o das pessoas. O “Letramento da inova??o" refere-se à capacidade das pessoas de entender, aplicar e promover práticas inovadoras em diversos contextos. Isto n?o se restringe apenas ao domínio técnico, mas também habilidades e atitudes, orientadas para: · Compreens?o dos processos de inova??o; · Habilidades criativas e para identifica??o de oportunidades; · Capacidade de resolu??o de problemas (também com criatividade); · Habilidade de trabalhar em equipe potencializando solu??es; · Gest?o de riscos e capacidade de assumir riscos calculados;

Why do we need a leader of a research team? May be for the paper work and the communications with other 'leaders'. A good research team is by definition anarchistic.

A cultura de sugest?o de ideias deve estar forte em toda a organiza??o e n?o somente na equipe de P&D. Para a equipe de inova??o, é mais adequado o uso de técnicas de design thinking, por exemplo, para resolu??o de problemas com inova??o.

To foster innovation, defining the problem requires a delicate balance. It involves articulating the challenge in a way that sparks curiosity, ignites passion, and invites diverse perspectives. We aim to frame it not as an obstacle, but as a gateway to new possibilities. By emphasizing the significance of the problem's impact, encouraging creative thinking, and promoting collaboration, we empower our team to explore unconventional solutions, pushing the boundaries of what's possible.

To foster innovation within an R&D team, creating a safe environment where diverse perspectives are encouraged is crucial. This involves establishing a culture of open communication, where team members feel empowered to freely share their ideas and experiences. Utilizing cross-functional teams can harness individuals' diverse skill sets and expertise, allowing for a multifaceted approach to problem-solving. Additionally, providing equal opportunities for growth and advancement ensures that all team members are motivated to contribute their best, irrespective of gender, race, or ethnicity. Encouraging team members to challenge their assumptions and biases fosters a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

In the world of technology, fostering diversity has been made easier. It is important to utilise digital platforms such as Zoom, LinkedIn, Twitter and others to reach out to people working on the same problem from all over the world encouraging collaboration, seeking new insights, feedback and understanding of the problem and market from another fresh perspective.

At Cali Girl Seeds, diversity of thought powers our innovation. We hire the most qualified individuals, embracing varied talents and backgrounds to enrich our R&D. Our culture promotes inclusion, driving creativity and excellence in cannabis breeding by valuing different perspectives and fostering collaboration with diverse partners.

Diversity is definitely one of the key necessary things for innovation. Imagine a room full of versions of yourself, you'll always have a very limited scope and number of points of view. Then add people from different cultures, social backgrounds, nationalities...and BOOM, the number of ideas and points of view multiplies exponentially! You need to break the limits which you have but you don't see, and nothing helps more than getting more points of view.

Diversity in backgrounds, disciplines and cultures is a key driver of innovation. It is also fantastic working in diverse teams, as everyone has something different to bring to the table! You can bring in diversity either through internal innovation teams, or through external collaboration. If you don't have diversity already in your environment, then seek out and build networks with people who can offer fresh perspectives, and fill knowledge or skills gaps that you might have.

It's important to allow your team to budget time for side projects which could blossom into something valuable to the organization. Make sure your team feels comfortable talking to you about the side projects they are working on and gets feedback during 1:1s. That way, their project has a better chance of becoming valuable to the company in the end. If you don't explicitly set aside time for these projects, your team might be afraid to talk about them too much and either spend too much time on them or avoid working on them altogether, stifling their motivation. So it's important to show that you value these new ideas, put them in the schedule and the 1:1 agenda, and create an environment where they are openly discussed and celebrated.

At Cali Girl Seeds, autonomy is key to innovation in our R&D team. We set clear goals and expectations, delegate tasks, and empower our team to explore and experiment independently within the cannabis breeding field. This trust boosts creativity and ownership. We support this autonomy by providing feedback, coaching, and recognition, ensuring our team feels both free and supported to take risks and innovate. This approach fosters a culture where groundbreaking cannabis genetics are developed through a blend of independence and guidance, driving our success in the industry.

Autonomy is very important for highly effective teams. The worse thing a leader can do is hire smart people to tell them what to do. Listen, provide direction, ask the right questions, but creating a team that is dependent on you will not allow the team to scale.

autonomy means employees have some level of control over how they get work done, such as how they accomplish tasks, set deadlines, and where or when they work. A workplace can be “flexible” without actually granting worker autonomy.

Giving a research group autonomy entails respecting their methods and the decisions they make based on them, so long as they adhere to ethics and best practices. It also creates an atmosphere where team members feel free to voice their opinions and that their opinions are valued. This encourages innovation and creativity, which will enhance the research's outcomes.

At Cali Girl Seeds, curiosity drives our R&D team towards innovation in cannabis genetics. We foster this by exposing them to the latest trends and technologies, and encouraging exploration of diverse information sources. By promoting open-ended questions and welcoming feedback, we cultivate an environment where learning is celebrated and assumptions are challenged. This approach fuels discovery and creative thinking, ensuring our team continuously expands their knowledge. Valuing curiosity allows us to explore new possibilities in cannabis breeding, keeping us at the forefront of the industry.

Curiosity is an aspect of intrinsic motivation that has great potential to enhance student learning. Theory and evidence describing curiosity are discussed, focusing on psychological and pedagogical literature relating to adult education. In particular, the concept of ‘information gaps’ as a source of academic curiosity is explored. In addition, the concept of curiosity in two disparate sample disciplines; second language learning and medical education are considered. The role of inquiry based learning approaches are discussed as potential modes of stimulating student curiosity, as well as simple classroom techniques, which could be applied to almost any academic discipline and based on the theories should act to enhance student curiosity.

I assume that curiosity is the cornerstone for innovation, research and development activities to achieve our goals. That must be ensured through setting hypothesis and research questions we will follow and track through research and development journey. Leadership, coaching and mentoring can be considered the tool which paves the way for curiosity cultivation which results in innovative journey of research.

Curiosity and continuous learning are pivotal in any profession. Rather than relying solely on extensive reading, engaging in workshops and conversations with professionals in the field adds a dynamic dimension. Visual aids enhance comprehension. To proceed: 1. Write Down Insights: Document your findings for better retention. 2. Create a Checklist: Outline actionable steps and milestones. 3. Ask Questions: Seek clarification and deeper understanding. 4. Connect with Experts: Network and learn from experienced individuals. 5. Self-Recognition: Acknowledge achievements, for motivation. This approach ensures a well-rounded and proactive strategy for ongoing professional development.

Organizar sesiones para pensar "out of the box". Muchas veces, inspirándonos en ejemplos innovadores de otras industrias, podemos encontrar similitudes con nuestra área e iniciar una nueva área de innovación.

The myth of the "Steve Jobs" type CEO should be out of your mind. That happens once in a lifetime. You need to work in a team, and need to make the team work together. There is a huge difference between a group of individuals working and a team. A team collaborates, helps each other when in need, complement each other.

The results of a project will always be enhanced by collaboration between work teams because it brings diverse perspectives based on individual experiences. Working together with different teams enables you to discover new approaches to tasks, alternative perspectives on the same plans, alternative ways to analyze results, and ways to modify work methods or results to better suit the project's needs. All of these things can lead to improved clarity and outcomes.

The increased focus on collaboration has perhaps been the single most important strategic shift that has accompanied the significant technological change in the mining industry over the last few years. CEOs frequently refer to the need for “collaboration”. However, in my view, collaboration has become a cliché; a buzzword, whose meaning is very unclear. For example, in many quarters, collaboration seems to be synonymous with certain IT platforms, which are just highly sophisticated online communication tools. There are many such platforms both proprietary and commercial. Glue is one of the latter but is distinguished from other platforms by the fact that it uses VR gaming technology to facilitate communication between people.

At Cali Girl Seeds, collaboration is key to driving innovation in cannabis breeding. We unite our R&D team with a shared vision, fostering trust and leveraging diverse skills to achieve our goals. Clear roles and expectations, alongside modern communication tools, ensure efficient teamwork and the open exchange of ideas. This collaborative environment amplifies our collective expertise, enabling us to tackle challenges and explore new possibilities. For us, collaboration isn't just a strategy—it's the essence of how we innovate and succeed in advancing cannabis genetics.

Collaboration stands as the main part of scientific endeavors. Science, pursued for the greater good of humankind and the environment, finds its true potential in collaborative efforts. Working together allows us to comprehend what others are exploring, possibly addressing the same queries. This collective approach enables diverse perspectives, offering new angles to view a question. The beauty and complexity of nature leave us with diversity of questions, and by pooling our insights, we can unravel more profound and comprehensive answers.

?? In my opinion, promoting ''Psychological Safety'' is another interesting view to foster innovation in R&D. It can possibly be done by: ?? Creating an environment where team members feel safe to take risks, share ideas, and voice their opinions without fear of criticism or judgment. This might encourage creativity and new solutions to challenges within the teams. ??

A crucial responsibility of a research and development leader is to examine the technological advancement and the global scientific and industrial challenges, which vary according to the specific domain of each individual. Fostering independent thinking and motivating members to constantly explore high-tech topics enhances group creativity, lowers expenses, and paves the way to work at the edge of science.

The Holst rules are as valid, complete and as actual as ever before. Plenty of examples can be found as proofpoints. Check them out!

Das "Was soll erreicht werden?" und der Rahmen sind für Vorhaben eher der Leitung eines Forschungs- und Entwicklungsteams vorbehalten, w?hrend das "Wie soll es erreicht werden?" im Detail den Speziallisten der jeweiligen Disziplin überlassen werden sollte. Dabei bedarf es des gegenseitigen Feedbacks und der Kommunikation untereinander.

Fostering innovation within a research and development (R&D) team is crucial for staying competitive and driving meaningful progress. Here are several strategies to encourage and support innovation within your team: 1. Cultivate a Supportive Environment 2. Define a Clear Vision and Goals 3. Encourage Cross-functional Collaboration 4. Allocate Time for Creative Thinking 5. Provide Resources and Training 6. Recognize and Reward Innovation 7. Promote Autonomy 8. Create a Prototype-Friendly Environment 9. Stay Informed About Industry Trends 10. Establish Clear Communication Channels