What do you do if your colleagues in a business innovation role need motivation and inspiration?

First understand why they currently lack motivation, is it indeed that their efforts not been recognised? Or have they been too busy with business as usual and is it about creating more time? Or are they stuck, and would it be a good idea to look for new inspiration and go on insights journey together? In my experience, just taking a break from the project and focus on something else for a bit might help as well

To motivate and inspire colleagues in a business innovation role, it's essential to set clear goals, celebrate achievements, encourage creativity, provide support and resources, lead by example, offer feedback and recognition, promote collaboration, provide autonomy, share success stories, and foster a positive work environment. By implementing these strategies, you can create an environment where team members feel motivated, valued, and empowered to innovate effectively.

In a perfect hypothetical world, we are only driven by passion and the inner desire to improve and move things forward. In the perfect world, we also always have inspiration. Unfortunately, the reality is sometimes different. Sometimes we need someone to encourage us and appreciate our efforts, even if we don't feel very successful with our project. It's not about feigned sympathy, but about recognition of our attempts. This can break through a lack of motivation and inspiration and help us and others through difficult phases. So help your colleagues with recognizing their efforts!

Fostering a culture of peer recognition can further boost motivation. Encourage team members to appreciate and acknowledge each other's contributions regularly. This not only creates a supportive environment but also reinforces the idea that innovation is a collective effort. Implementing a peer recognition system where team members can nominate and praise each other's innovative ideas or problem-solving approaches can foster a sense of camaraderie and motivation. At Google, employees have a peer recognition program called Peer Bonus where they can nominate their colleagues for exceptional contributions. This initiative not only acknowledges individual efforts but also reinforces teamwork and collaboration.

Business innovation is a challenging process. Unlike research or product innovation, business innovation requires market traction, it requires potentially new business models and sometimes it requires changing assumptions about how the current business runs so that these new business models can actually create value. In this scenario I think we need to understand and acknowledge the different stages and really provide positive guidance and support at each stage because sometimes success is not always clear. So understanding that even learning and not succeeding at that stage or what we can call failure but actually not failure in the larger sense but failure in that particular context is should be still celebrated because it is learning.

Additionally, consider involving team members in the goal-setting process, they feel a stronger sense of ownership and commitment. Conduct collaborative goal-setting sessions where team members can brainstorm and contribute their ideas for objectives that align with the organization's vision and their individual aspirations. This participatory approach fosters motivation by empowering employees to play an active role in shaping their work. Spotify practices collaborative goal-setting through its OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) framework. This set ambitious yet achievable objectives and define measurable key results to track progress, hence ensures alignment with mission while empowering teams to take ownership of their goals.

One of the most important points is to set clear goals. The colleague must know what they want, so it must be clearly expressed. Nothing is less motivating than an unclear or unrealistic expectation or goal. We can only work towards achieving goals if we know the goals clearly. Achieving goals is important for intrinsic motivation. We run faster when we see the finish line. This is the reason why we should set realistic goals. If I set my sights on becoming President of America today, chances are pretty high that I'll be discouraged tomorrow. So in business, we should set realistic goals, because we are all human.

Collaboration is not only the lifeblood of innovation. It is the pulse that drives the blood through the body of the company. When we work together and share ideas, we all can help each other. We don't have to collaborate for the sake of collaboration, and not every little decision needs to be blown up into a creative wallpaper brainstorming session. But having active colleagues who are willing to share their ideas for improvement and innovation and contribute to each other's success is an asset to a company and should be encouraged. Not only because of innovation, it will also hold the body of the company together and helps us to walk the same direction.

Encourage team members to engage in industry events, conferences, or networking opportunities where they can interact with professionals from diverse backgrounds and gain fresh perspectives. Additionally, establish partnerships or joint projects with external organizations, startups, or research institutions to expose team members to different approaches and stimulate innovative thinking through collaboration. The MIT Media Lab's "Member Companies" program allows organizations to collaborate with researchers and students on cutting-edge projects. By engaging in cross-disciplinary collaboration, companies gain access to innovative ideas and diverse expertise, fostering a culture of innovation.

In practical terms, this can include access to cutting-edge tools and technologies, sufficient budget for research and development, and opportunities for training and professional development. In particular, when I realize that my colleagues are demotivated due to a lack of resources to implement their innovative ideas, I would work with the company's leadership to ensure that they have access to the resources they need to turn their visions into reality.

During my experience in the world of innovation, I have conducted research on the most diverse topics, and while all of them have been fruitful, the truth is that when I have had access to the necessary resources to carry them out, they have been more efficient, and I have reached more useful information, in less time. For this reason, it is important to identify the necessary resources so that the innovation team can not only access the information they need, but also have the ability to experiment with the solutions they find. Innovation is based on the principle of experimentation and association of concepts, and any resource that allows the team to carry out these functions optimally will benefit the projects and the organization.

Prior pandemic, you are likely to experience more softwares being free with good features. Post pandemic, many softwares with good features turn into subscription mode; paying user. Organization needs to invest in resources such as softwares, training programs, devices, high speed broadband/wifi - infras for high quality outputs eventually outcomes. For startups, I’d highly recommend to join startup programs where they offered free paid-for softwares etc..bootstrapping is fine, so please bootstrap smartly. During my startup days, i had work done in a paid-for co-working space with good wifi, full pantry supplies, AWS-access and shower room ?? If you are good, you will find ways.

Trust is Paramount: Establish an environment where colleagues feel trusted by demonstrating belief in their abilities to make sound judgments about their work. Celebrate Individuality: Recognize that every team member has a unique skillset and encourage these diverse approaches rather than enforcing a one-size-fits-all model. Embrace Experimentation: Create a safe space for trying new solutions, and emphasize that learning from both failures and successes is vital within innovation. Autonomy within a Framework: Provide a clear overall vision and goals, but within that context, offer maximum freedom for colleagues to execute their ideas in a way that works for them.

We humans are capable of a lot if we have the freedom to act. Working on and improving your own solutions not only increases the outcome, but also motivation. In the field of business innovation, it is better to have a "passionate worker" than a "well-trained robot". Creativity, motivation and passion play a major role in business innovation. These are promoted by employee autonomy. It is important for leaders to trust and not an easy thing, it requires patience and acumen. Understand the approach, analyze it and also give non-binding tips for improvement. Trust your employees and help them to become autonomous!

Back in 2017, at a time I needed inspiration the most, I setup time aside and travel to the West Coast on a tour to visit what I thought where companies at the leading edge of innovation. Facebook, Microsoft, Amazon, Noodle.ai, Square etc. Having the opportunity to get out and visit people, art or places is the best way to foster inspiration.

Practice what you preach. Be the role model. Inspire others to follow your lead by doing it first yourself. If you aren’t committed and open to new ideas and innovation why would they. Share success stories during all hands meetings that encourages others to see the impact it has made to the business.

Innovation is built on hope, responsibility and a passion for "what could be". Why innovate if you don’t want to create a better outcome? Yet, innovation necessitates creativity and risk taking, which can be chaotic. We have to remind ourselves that it's part of the process and not let it undermine our confidence. We must anchor our why in a broad vision: of what we want to accomplish and who we want to become in the process. This can fuel our motivation and help us breakthrough creatively.

Involve team members in envisioning the future trajectory of the organization. Conduct brainstorming or visioning sessions where employees can collectively visualize the goals/aspirations. Encourage them to articulate how their innovative contributions align with this shared vision and contribute to making a meaningful impact on the world. Tesla's vision to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy serves as a powerful source of inspiration for employees. By rallying behind this ambitious mission, Tesla's workforce is motivated to push the boundaries of innovation in electric vehicles, renewable energy, and beyond, driving the company's success.

Create an environment where team members feel psychologically safe to take risks, share ideas openly, and experiment without fear of judgment or retribution. Encourage leaders and managers to demonstrate vulnerability and openness, setting the tone for a culture where failure is viewed as a learning opportunity rather than a setback. Google conducted a study called "Project Aristotle" to understand the factors that contribute to team effectiveness. The research identified psychological safety as the most important factor for high-performing teams, emphasizing the significance of creating a safe and inclusive environment for innovation to thrive.

If a colleague in a business innovation role need more motivation and inspiration, the most critical thing is to check in and understand whether driving innovation is aligned with his / her own career motivation and growth purpose. Aligning and connecting back to the WHY and core value of driving business innovation with what they aspire to do is the most important driver to continue to be motivated even if there are set backs and challenges.

Motivating and inspiring colleagues in a business innovation role is absolutely crucial for maintaining momentum and fostering creativity. Leading by example is key - demonstrating enthusiasm, passion, and dedication to innovation in your own work can serve as a powerful motivator for your colleagues.