How do we change the organisational climate for innovation to thrive?
Cris Beswick
C-suite Advisor on Innovation Strategy, Leadership & Culture | Author of Building a Culture of Innovation | Keynote Speaker | Co-founder of OUTCOME | Investor | VC
Thoughts, observations, and conversations with leaders on shaping the future through innovation.
In a recent discussion with a CEO and senior team who'd labelled their middle managers 'the frozen middle' or 'permafrost' I asked, "OK, so who then is the cold north wind?"
In my experience, the middle of an organisation doesn't freeze itself, more that it's frozen by an organisational system designed to maintain the status quo (a system typically, but not always, kept alive by senior teams). Yet CEOs and senior teams 'ask' for new, exciting, innovative stuff which is in contrast to that system, hence, conflicting messages, priorities and metrics.
To change that 'system' requires a different mindset, which starts with leaders asking "how do I own innovation in line with the purpose and strategy?"
And I mean, really 'OWN,' i.e. what do I need to put in place, both 'physically' and 'psychologically' to create the right 'system' for innovation to thrive? When that starts to take shape, our experience shows managers begin to say "OK, now how do I 'DRIVE' innovation in line with the purpose and strategy?' - then you know that the engine of innovation has fired into life.
Here's an article unpacking more of our thoughts and how the OUTCOME team and I are tackling this with clients around the world.
#ThinkingOutLoud