Innovation is not only a buzzword, but a key driver of business success in today's competitive and dynamic markets. However, fostering an innovative culture in an organization is not easy. It requires a strategic approach, a supportive environment, and a continuous learning mindset. As a consultant, you can help your client develop an innovative culture by following these six steps:
The first step is to understand the current level of innovation in your client's organization. You can use various tools and methods, such as surveys, interviews, audits, or benchmarks, to evaluate the innovation capabilities, processes, and outcomes. You should also identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) related to innovation, and the gaps and barriers that need to be addressed.
The next step is to help your client articulate a clear and compelling vision and goals for innovation. You should align them with the overall mission, vision, and strategy of the organization, and communicate them to all stakeholders. You should also help your client define the scope, direction, and focus of innovation, and the expected benefits and impacts. You should also establish the key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to measure and monitor innovation.
Start with the “Why” A mission must have a purpose, something compelling to chase. Until there is a big enough and motivating enough goal (or scary enough fear …), change and growth will not happen. Embracing creativity and learning these skills is hugely feasible - but only if we have a why big enough to inspire change and sustain through the transformation. So start with the heart and the head, … and the skills and practices can come after.
The third step is to help your client design a coherent and comprehensive innovation strategy that outlines the actions, resources, and timelines to achieve the vision and goals. You should consider the different types of innovation, such as incremental, radical, or disruptive, and the different sources of innovation, such as internal, external, or open. You should also help your client select the best tools and methods, such as brainstorming, prototyping, or testing, to generate, develop, and implement innovative ideas.
The fourth step is to help your client develop a culture that supports and encourages innovation. You should help your client foster a culture that values creativity, curiosity, collaboration, and experimentation. You should also help your client create a culture that embraces risk, failure, and feedback, and that rewards and recognizes innovation efforts and achievements. You should also help your client promote a culture that learns from successes and failures, and that adapts and improves continuously.
HOW TO CREATE A MINDSET/CULTURE FOR INNOVATION The only thing that is permanent is CHANGE. A corporate culture for innovation embraces uncertainty. As innovation facilitator, facilitating more than 100 projects I have captured my learnings in the following definition: In my experience a culture for innovation is an environment that encourages people to think creatively leading to ideas for new products, - processes, -business models and - approaches which are transformed into reality swiftly, creating value for the organisation. Three essential things to start building a culture for innovation are: 1. stimulate a curious mindset, 2. create a safe zone for experimentation, 3. tolerate failures and reward any innovative initiative.
The fifth step is to help your client implement the innovation projects that result from the strategy. You should help your client manage the innovation portfolio, prioritize the projects, allocate the resources, and assign the roles and responsibilities. You should also help your client execute the projects, track the progress, and evaluate the results. You should also help your client overcome the challenges and risks that may arise during the implementation, and ensure the quality and sustainability of the innovation outcomes.
Theory must meet practice, so ideas must be turned to application. Start working on new creativity and innovation projects as early as possible. … As early iterations will be limited, but what is needed is practice to hone and develop comfort. So set the team to work as early as possible, if you want the new learning and capabilities to grow and deepen - rather than wither. Power comes with application and iteration.
The sixth and final step is to help your client review and improve the innovation process on a regular basis. You should help your client collect and analyze the data and feedback from the innovation projects, and compare them with the KPIs and metrics. You should also help your client identify the best practices, lessons learned, and areas for improvement. You should also help your client update the vision, goals, strategy, and culture, and plan the next steps for innovation.