Creating a Culture of Innovation

As a LinkedIn Editorial Top Voice, thought leader, author, educator, and change leadership practitioner, I author a weekly article that benefits existing or emerging leaders who want to improve their organizations significantly.

A Continuing Exploration

This week, we continue exploring the elements for developing a humanist manufacturing environment. We shift from last week's focus on creating a culture of adaptability to creating a culture of innovation. Leadership commitment, training and development, investment in technology, and measuring and rewarding success are needed to achieve success in innovation.

If I have a 1,000 ideas and only one turns out to be good, I am satisfied. – Alfred Nobel

Nitroglycerin and Blasting Caps

Most of us know the name of Nobel associated with The Nobel Prize . He willed his wealth to support his interests in chemistry, literature, physics, physiology or medicine, and work for peace. Nobel was a businessman, entrepreneur, inventor, and scientist who developed dynamite and blasting caps, which he produced in several European manufacturing sites to build these products. Sales were supported by several corporations to market and produce his explosives. If he achieved this level of wealth, his .1% success rate satisfaction supports the idea that there will be a need to see what some would describe as failures as learning opportunities when innovative.

It Begins at the Top

A common theme when developing a desirable culture is a leadership commitment to increase an organization's innovation level. At the top, active participation must be in efforts to implement innovation initiatives. The executive team will break down silos and promote a cross-disciplinary approach to developing new products and services. Employees need to know from their leaders that they will be psychologically safe when sharing unconventional ideas and that failure is seen as learning. Top management will communicate clear innovation expectations by setting ambitious goals and providing the necessary resources.

Elements to Ensure Success

Training and development needs should be assessed and provided to enhance employee innovation skills, including creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. The education should provide an understanding of what it means to work in a collaborative environment and to adopt a continuing learning mindset. These skills will set the foundation for the workforce to have authority and empowerment to contribute ideas and solutions from a diverse perspective. There will be an understanding that innovation can come from anywhere in the organization.

An Investment in Technology

There is an exciting frontier of Industry 4.0 that will lead to new levels of product development and organizational efficiency. Intelligent leaders will support innovative adoptions of artificial intelligence, big data and analytics integrations, cloud/edge computing, cyber-physical systems, cybersecurity, the Industrial Internet of Things, interoperability, robotics, smart factories, and system integration. Failure to develop an environment that allows employees to adopt these technologies will put a manufacturing operation in jeopardy of being left behind as global competitors continue to lead these adoption efforts. The work may require bringing in third-party partners, hiring those with existing skills, or successfully training the workforce to leverage these technologies.

What We Measure and Reward

With support from the workforce, the leadership must define clear objectives and measures that align with the organization's innovation goals. They will develop key performance indicators to measure the success of these initiatives. A regular review schedule will be established to monitor progress and adjust plans as necessary, including employee feedback throughout the company. Innovative contributions should be recognized and rewarded, including various forms of compensation and public recognition. There should also be feedback mechanisms with clear channels for suggestions for innovation and whether they are approved for further evaluation and adoption.

Key Takeaway

We live in an ever-evolving world, and leaders must integrate high levels of innovation success into their organizations. Leadership commitment, training and development, investment in technology, and measuring and rewarding success are needed to achieve innovation success. Cultivating a culture of innovation through appropriate strategies will drive efficiency, product quality improvements, and the development of desirable products and services that will keep an organization ahead of the curve.

First Step

Leaders should evaluate the current state of innovation in their organizations. Is there an existing commitment from top management? Does training and development programming exist that teaches and supports the workforce in developing appropriate skills to drive innovation? What is the existing level of adoption of Industry 4.0? Finally, is there evidence that employees at all levels are rewarded and publicly recognized for innovation success?

My Gratitude

While Tesla is facing some current challenges, and I would not describe it as a humanist manufacturing organization, I am grateful that the company is an example of an organization that has led the market in groundbreaking innovations in electric vehicles. They were cutting-edge in battery technology, drivetrain performance, and autonomous driving. The company exhibits the benefits of embracing a culture of innovation.

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Additional Information

To learn more about our work or read more blog posts, visit emmanuelstratgicsustainability.com .

I encourage you to read my book Humanist Manufacturing: A Humanitarian Approach to Excellence in High-Impact Plant Operations . The paperback and eBook versions are now available at Amazon and many other booksellers. You can also take a look at the Humanist Manufacturing Book Launch to gain additional insight into the humanist manufacturing framework.

If you like what you have read, I invite you to connect with me on LinkedIn . I am honored and humbled to be recognized as a LinkedIn Editorial Top Voice, an invitation-only group featuring senior-level experts and leaders. Less than 0.5% of LinkedIn members receive this invitation, which is 1 billion LinkedIn members.

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