Innovation journey hack: Skills to PACK

As 2022 began, many felt the need to be factfinders, storytellers, and soothsayers, all at the same time – that’s what sometimes an innovator’s journey entails in my view, especially at times of great change. Times like now, when we can’t continue to work with old playbooks, we have to play with new workbooks, and figure out the next move in the game. As 2022 draws to a close, 2023 perhaps promises to be another such year. ?

At the outset of 2022 there was a general sense that it would be a year where the implication of major shifts and continued acceleration of change would manifest itself on many fronts. I have previously talked about the change in the very nature of change during the pandemic and the heightening of the VUCA world from Volatile-Uncertain-Complex-Ambiguous to what elements became more prominent in my view: Vulnerability-Unprecedented-Contentious-Amplified . The scale of change also offered opportunities for innovative thinking across the work-life spectrum, and I have talked about and three distinct actions we can take to examine opportunities for innovative thinking. ?

In essence it requires us to be innovative about innovation itself. This is the topic I focused on in a talk organized in early 2022 by Innov8rs . It was also the topic at one hosted by The Conference Board this week, as the year draws to a close, and in both I shared my perspective on the future, the future of innovation and what the innovation journey entails. That journey, continues.?

Packing pounds

All this talk of journey, but I like to set the stage with the image of the Ever Given stuck in the Suez Canal, as a metaphor for a stuck innovation engine. Due to high demand for goods these Ultra Large Container Vessels, ULCVs, have containers piled very high which actually make them very susceptible to high winds. There is also the demand on speed, efficiency and low cost which can really impact decision making and raise chance of human error. All these factors played a role in the Ever Given saga and the efforts to free it.?Consumers around the world were suddenly hit by the stark realization of the risks and vulnerabilities in the system that were virtually hidden from them as they hit the deliver button and wait for the order to magically arrive at the destination, per expectation. There was sudden realization of how big the ships really are, how arduous the paths they navigate are and how narrow that channel really is, and that, a single ship, an isolated event, brought about cascading impact that reverberated for months.

But what it can also represent is the state of innovation, wherein expectations are piled sky high and there is a drive for productivity and efficiency and low cost, at all cost. Not surprisingly, this can take a toll on the humans involved and lead to errors of judgement, especially if there is a stakeholder community who just wants the deliverables and may not have the realization of the travel, the trial and travails, it takes to get it across the finish line. As was the case with the Ever Given the eyes are on the delivery, the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, with little appreciation of the journey. And not to mention the cascading impact, one stuck, very visible and prominent innovation project can have on the morale and the motivation of an entire organization and cast a shadow on the prevailing culture not just at that time but for years to come. There was a resounding agreement from the attendees that such things happen often.

Pack light

So how do we break free? I talk about a strategic shift that can work well at times of immense change, where assumptions have been significantly impacted and the tactics need to adjust accordingly. ?Such times seemingly require small fleets because we have to rebuild the context and the constructs around our big ships. Perhaps the last thing you want to do at a time of great change is set sail with an ULCV like the Ever Given. It’s a given, that it’s time to take time, to really understand what we need to build or rather rebuild. It may involve trips and excursions, and expeditions and that part of the journey requires us to be nimble and agile. It’s an opportunity to hit a reset of sorts and validate the paths or change course, lest it turns into an unplanned odyssey. ?There are 4 skills or attributes that are critical during this phase and facets need to be revisited given the current times. And these, in my view will be critical in 2023 as well.

The first skill is the ability to very simply be able to communicate the crux of an innovative idea. Quite literally it is the pencil sell, the idea of one being able to take a pad and paper and summarize what is being talked about. This technique has been proven to help persuade and the power of persuasion has always been important but much more important during times of change. And given the pandemic, and what followed, these activities now may need to be done virtually – that’s tough and takes further developing the skill - when you don’t have the person to person, face to face, eye to eye contact. So that’s the first skill. In my view it involves not just sales acumen but showmanship and ability to be a great spokesperson.

A very related element constitutes the second skill which centers around “social capital.” Again, a factor that as always been very important for making change happen and now more important than ever before as we close out 2022. Social science research indicates the key elements that help build social capital - bonds, bridges and linkages. Bonds typically signify ‘in-group’ relationships, bridges are with those outside of however you define the group and linkages are connections with hierarchy. In my experience these allies are very critical as you socialize an idea, and the real skill here is to attain the right balance of bonds, bridges and linkages, in tune with the way we work today.

Another attribute to continually develop and hone is that of being a good team player - with sportspersonship, and, paying one’s dues as a corporate “citizen.” It can’t just be about you and your ideas and your projects – during tough times all hands may be needed on the deck. One’s actions and their reputation are often a lens that the ideas one presents will be viewed through, so it’s best to be mindful of this. Finally, the toughest one, kingship, effective leadership when you may just be a figurehead charged with impacting change. This calls for developing skills that allow you to influence others, and as far as driving innovation goes, many will have to work through influence because they may have no direct power but much of the responsibility. During times of change, it is harder to impact change.

Pack together

Innovation is a system level endeavor, and it takes a village - it takes people who are inspired to go the extra mile to drive the innovation. Navigating this journey takes time, effort and skills. It's time to understand what to build and rebuild to be nimble and agile on this journey. We need time and tools to hone these skills. Management and leadership need to emphasize creating space and empowerment for those engaged in innovation. In the coming years many skills need updating such as conversing, convincing and co-creating through virtual channels while building the right social capital. There is no going back to the way things were - that ship has sailed.

So, let's unpack what skills one needs to PACK for the expeditions.

Pencil-sellship

Allyship

Citizenship

Kingship

These are 4 areas that could help us all with navigation. Some are harder than the others, but they are critical and there is a great opportunity for us. And I should mention, it may seem daunting - but many a times I have learned in my journey its mind over matter, and you have to look back from time to time to see how far you have come.

Especially as this year draws to a close…into a season of retrospection, reflection and resolution as we pack for next year’s journey.