Jumpstarting Innovation

Innovation isn’t reserved for corporate giants or tech startups. Any company can ignite the spark of creativity by cultivating curiosity, empowering employees, starting small, collaborating widely, and celebrating success.

Cultivate a culture of curiosity

Innovation begins with curiosity—an openness to ask, “What if?” and “Why not?” Encourage your team to question the status quo and explore unconventional solutions. At Pixar, employees are urged to seek feedback early and often, thanks to a company-wide emphasis on “plussing.” When someone pitches an idea, colleagues don’t just critique it—they add to it, sparking a cascade of creativity that leads to award-winning storytelling.

Empower your frontline employees

Your frontline workers are often closest to customer needs and operational pain points. Their insights can uncover untapped opportunities. When Starbucks launched its popular mobile order and pay feature, the idea stemmed from barista feedback on reducing wait times and streamlining operations. By listening to its staff, Starbucks created a game-changer for the coffee industry.

As a first step, set up an internal innovation portal where employees can pitch ideas and ensure leaders actively follow up on submissions.

Start with small experiments

Innovation doesn’t always require a massive overhaul. Start small, test ideas quickly, and learn from the outcomes. This approach of rapid prototyping minimizes risk while driving progress. Amazon’s Alexa started as a small internal experiment focused on voice technology. By iterating and scaling incrementally, it evolved into a cornerstone of the company’s smart home ecosystem. Allocate a portion of your budget to “experimental initiatives.” Use these funds to test new products, processes, or services on a micro-scale before scaling up.

So, what’s your company’s first step? Every great innovation started as an idea—and the courage to pursue it.