The Layers of an Innovation Culture

Every organization has teams who innovate and some that don't. The innovators are regarded as the stars while the rest often wonder why they can't come up with brilliant ideas. Let's dive into how an innovation culture develops.

An innovative culture requires a strong foundation of inventors.

The founders are the seed for an environment that encourages risk taking for solving problems. Teams that are a part of the initial product development are the core organization growers. If successful, there is tremendous growth and the beliefs of an innovation mindset are set in stone. They know that this is THE way to grow in every circumstances. This foundational growth is responsible for setting an innovation culture.

Things change as the organization scales and grows in size.

Further growth is through execution. Other ancillary functions are added. There is an influx of people unfamiliar with the initial growth. Intellectually they understand that innovation was the catalyst. However, their work demands a blinders-on approach leaving not much time for ideation.

This is the phase where layers start to appear in the innovation culture.

In my observation, you can break them into the levels:

1. The core R&D mindset that lives by innovation

2. A middle layer that reveres but doesn't know how

3. A third layer that doesn't have time for innovation

A healthy innovation core is important for long term relevance.

There needs to be a good mix of folks that can take on risky challenges, even fail at times. An innovation culture is reinforced when success leads to outsized rewards.

If there isn't a recognition or celebration of such success, know that a cultural change is brewing.

The success of the product depends on execution and ancillary functions as well. These teams need times to pause and reflect, also known as breathing room. Allow them to bring their observations to the core innovators. Reward and recognise when their inputs or hunches lead to new products.

Over time, everyone will make time for new product opportunities. Soon there will be a free flow of ideas. Kind of a startup like culture in large organisations, which is a fun environment.

An innovation culture demands strategic attention. Establish it and your organisation will flourish.

That's it for today!

Happy Ideating!

Hemang.