You’re in charge of innovation management for a large enterprise. How do you keep your team motivated?

Keeping the innovation flame burning is easy peasy. First, sprinkle compliments like confetti - everyone loves a little ego boost. Second, make brainstorming sessions a game of 'Idea Bingo' – fill your card with wild suggestions, & if someone hits bingo, they get a day off. Throw in a monthly 'Innovation Olympics' where the weirdest idea wins a trophy shaped like a light bulb. And remember, when things get tough, host a 'Serious Solutions Stand-up Comedy.' Teams present their ideas using stand-up routines, and if they can make the CEO snort coffee, bonus points! And let's not forget our 'Fail Fest Fridays' – where we celebrate our grandest failures with a round of applause. Because if you haven't failed, you haven't tried hard enough!

Além de estabelecer as metas claras e smart, é imprescindível que cada membro da equipe entenda bem o propósito e sua participa??o no atendimento, fazendo com que sejam parte das solu??es inovadoras. Estimular a tomada de risco consciente e o processo de aprendizado com os erros também faz a diferen?a na evolu??o de um time inovador.

My main reflection looking back over my career is being mindful that when you are leading innovation teams they are ahead of the curve in terms of creating change and disruption, so as a leader it's important to be mindful that this is often a lonely place and people need reminding of the vision of what is possible to keep them motivated. Providing them with the skills and tools to be resilient in the face of adversity, to be tenacious and to be able to tell brilliant stories!

A constru??o de indicadores de sucesso e a cria??o de rituais para acompanhamento, mudan?a de rota, aprendizado e celebra??o s?o fundamentais para trazer o senso de pertencimento e garantir que todo o esfor?o da equipe seja visto e celebrado. Isso garante também o alinhamento sobre o que é fundamental e esperado, para que todos devem dedicar todo foco e aten??o a esses objetivos. E a utiliza??o de ferramentas de gest?o, como exemplo o Monday s?o fundamentais para todos terem acesso as evolu??es em real time

In addition to setting clear goals, empower your team by involving them in the goal-setting process. Encourage open dialogue to gather diverse perspectives and ideas. This not only enhances team ownership but also fosters a culture of inclusivity and creativity. When team members actively contribute to defining objectives, they develop a deeper sense of commitment and are more likely to proactively engage in the innovation journey. Moreover, revisiting and refining goals collaboratively ensures that the team remains agile and aligned with the evolving landscape of challenges and opportunities.

In my experience,one main aspect regarding innovation projects in corporate environment,is the purpose of the project. Provided that ,it has been evaluated as an essential mean to serve unmet needs of external “market “ and at the same time fulfil internal goals ,then a team project is intergraded into a corporate project .Under this perception it becomes clear that execution and success of the project is ensured also by alignment of other probably involved teams or departments of the company. To tell the long story short ,among with the above mentioned ,you also need to ensure and secure corporate (culture) alignment.

I believe that constructive feedback and recognition are crucial for motivating an innovation management team. Feedback helps team members identify areas for improvement and refine their ideas, while recognition boosts their morale and encourages them to continue their efforts. I advise providing feedback and recognition promptly, specifically, and meaningfully. Utilize a variety of channels and formats to ensure that all team members feel valued and appreciated.

O feedback é essencial na cultura de inova??o porque constrói rela??es e impulsiona projetos. Evitar críticas excessivas é vital, pois o medo de dar/receber feedbacks prejudica a comunica??o interna. Autonomia é a chave; responsabilidade sem medo gera equipes engajadas e motivadas. Transformar hierarquia, direcionar feedbacks objetivos e recorrentes s?o práticas essenciais. O feedback n?o só impulsiona projetos, mas também desenvolve as pessoas, alimentando uma cultura de inova??o dinamica.

The art of giving feedback is very important. You have to understand that feedback is about where they are performing Excellent, Good, Average and needs improvement. Plus you have to provide support via training and mentoring. This restores their faith in you, the plan and the team.

I recommend using one-on-one meetings, performance reviews, and workshop training to provide feedback and recognize individual and team efforts. Regular feedback, recognition, and celebrating successes are powerful tools for motivating your team. You can start by giving timely and constructive positive and negative feedback focused on behavior rather than the person. Public recognition and personalized recognition can boost morale. Celebrating successes, encouraging peer recognition, and linking recognition to goals can also help. You can set up open channels for feedback and use feedback sessions as an opportunity for continuous learning. Remember, recognition and feedback should be a continuous process.

When we talk about innovation, we cannot forget that even if there are very good ideas, until they are implemented and executed, we cannot know if they will work or not. Experimentation is crucial, and this has to be agile and fast, "fail fast and cheap". To achieve this point, it is essential to create an environment in which the team feels confident and supported enough to try and fail, since the projects that do not work are not a failure, but a lesson learned from what does not work for future projects.

Innovation management in any organization is a strategic leadership arm. If the organization has to develop experiment & fail fast culture, it should be pioneered by Innovation management team. In my opinion, experimenting and risk taking its not an option, but a necessity.

Moreover, set the stage for experimentation and risk-taking by showcasing the value of learning from setbacks. Emphasize that failures are not endpoints but rather integral steps towards innovation. Encourage the team to analyze and extract insights from unsuccessful experiments, turning them into valuable lessons for future endeavors. Implementing 'innovation sprints' or dedicated time for creative exploration can provide a structured space for experimentation. By fostering a mindset that views challenges as opportunities for growth, you empower your team to embrace uncertainty, iterate quickly, and push the boundaries of what's possible in the pursuit of innovation.

I have been studying and training IDEA GENERATION and CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING What I have called since 1978 Creative S.T.A.M.P.S. and C,r,E,8,N,G! one of my problem solving models since 1978 I use these definitions Creative : new, novel, unique, potential Innovation : improving what is already being done Invention : NEW SOLUTIONS

Revisit the original problem, update your understanding of the scope of the problem. Center the primary problem and tear it down into smaller sections as small as possible - for each to be solved in multiple ways independently and then regrouped to fit the primary problem. Have a completly different team independently review the problem and exchange findings and thoughts. Use external stimuli as a basis for problem solving concepts (e.g. Image Trek or Brain Writing). Have at least 3 waves of concept generation at each session. Have designers draw out simple forms of ideas mentioned by people generating concepts and pin them up. Take one idea from each person & add it to the idea from the previous person

Leaders are blessed in that innovation professionals, mostly, start with very high levels of intrinsic motivation. Nobody joins an innovation unit because they're in love with the status quo. For the most part, these are people who want to create new things, to make an impact, to change the world in a positive way. But the flip side is: This optimism is easily shattered... If the company fails to give the resources, the space, the autonomy they need, If projects get started, funded or abandoned at random, with no clear structure, Or crucially, if teams sense that a culture of innovation is lacking (e.g. when experimentation is punished), Then prepare to see their motivation, and the company's innovation potential, fall off a cliff.

Involve users in creating solutions. Even when individuals share the leader's ideas, the likelihood of a positive outcome is much higher when these ideas originate from the individuals themselves. Collaboratively shaping plans and execution strategies ensures that everyone becomes an integral part of the solution. However, it's important to note that not every person needs to be involved from the outset. Each stage of the process may require different skill sets and perspectives, so it's essential to carefully assess who should be engaged at each stage. When the time comes to include them, thoughtful consideration of how to integrate innovation allows them to contribute to the solution rather than just executing it.

Autonomia sem alinhamento em rela??o ao todo é muito arriscada, pois pode resultar em diversas perdas, retrabalhos e, consequentemente, na falta de motiva??o da equipe. é crucial que o líder promova uma comunica??o clara e incentive a documenta??o das atualiza??es e histórico em uma ferramenta de gest?o da inova??o. No entanto, isso só acontecerá se o líder garantir que os rituais de alinhamentos estejam agendados e o time seja fiel em realizá-los e participar desses rituais criados. Além de documentar por escrito na ferramenta, a troca em tempo real sobre entendimentos, avan?os e aprendizados garante um maior sucesso no alinhamento, proporcionando ao time uma sensa??o maior de seguran?a em rela??o à sua autonomia.

“If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, build a team”. Going far means sharing a vision expanding the horizon not letting the short term blur your shared goals. Hence the best motivation is to allow every team member to share his/her value in the team ecosystem….it can become contagious and people will grow tremendously! We strongly rely upon the 3 rules of “Value”. If you want to know more…check out “Next: how to innovate from within!”

Empowering your team with autonomy allows them to take ownership of their projects, fostering a sense of responsibility and creative freedom. Providing the necessary resources ensures they have the tools and support needed to turn innovative ideas into reality. This combination of independence and support is a powerful driver of innovation, motivating the team to explore new possibilities and solutions.

Furthermore, use success and failure as storytelling tools to inspire and educate your team. Craft narratives that highlight the journey, challenges, and pivotal moments of both successful projects and those that faced setbacks. By weaving these stories into the team culture, you create a shared narrative that reinforces the values of resilience, continuous learning, and collective achievement. Additionally, recognize and appreciate the individuals who contributed to the team's success or demonstrated exceptional resilience in the face of failure. Celebrating individual efforts fosters a sense of belonging and reinforces the idea that each team member is an integral part of the innovation journey.

True innovators don't think in win-lose, success-failure terms. True Innovator's perspective is more like Nelson Mandela once beautifully phrased "I never lose. I either win or learn"

Celebrate project milestones and successes as a team. Recognizing and celebrating achievements can boost morale and create a positive work environment.

As a leader you need to share disappointment, furthermore own it as leader and safe guard your team mates. When it comes to success pass it to team and let them celebrate and cheer it and make them face what they have accomplished.

Yes to all that, but rather than overemphasising the result, focus on the journey and the learning in that. That is how you can get repeatable results. Oh, and one small point: please don't be that company that says they really value the work that has been done on this billion dollar project and then reward the team with some lame-ass company branded notebook.

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea." - Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Don't just set clear goals and build mechanisms to innovate, inspire your team and the broader organization to actively buy-in on the purpose and jump at the chance be a part of the journey.

Tener un entorno que estimule la creatividad y fomente la autonomía es esencial. Reconocer y valorar los logros, junto con ofrecer oportunidades de desarrollo y crecimiento profesional, son factores que aportan de manera significativa a la motivación. Además, la transparencia en la comunicación, la disposición a explorar nuevas ideas y la flexibilidad para enfrentar desafíos emergentes son elementos complementarios que deben ser considerados para mantener al equipo motivado y comprometido con la innovación constante en el mundo laboral.

Cross-functional Collaboration: Encouraging collaboration across different departments and functions can spur innovation by bringing diverse perspectives and expertise into the conversation. Initiatives like cross-departmental brainstorming sessions or joint project teams can break down silos and foster a more integrated approach to innovation

Another thing that I find important is to always have a clear and inspiring vision. When leading innovation, show your team an exciting picture of the future. Then connect their efforts to the mission of the organization. This creates a sense of purpose and drives motivation. By linking innovation to the 'why' behind your organization's goals, you give your team a powerful reason to be creative and tackle challenges. This approach not only keeps the team focused but also deeply engaged with the work they're doing, as they see how their innovations contribute to a larger, meaningful goal.

A large enterprise need not only be a corporate. Any organization with a large diverse talent pool including an academic institution can embark upon innovation creation and management. The most important requirement is to instigate idea generation ability - to look at every aspect in a different way, to look at gaps in every activity beyond their role, responsibility or activities. It will fascinate members to see generating ideas in areas outside their expertise. Mentoring to work on ideas to transform them into sustainable innovations not necessarily having monetization capability will be key to realization of value of impact of such ideas. Facilitate the knowledge management to enable creation of impactful intellectual property rights