Truly innovative companies are companies that have learned how to leverage the talents and creativity of its workforce. It is people who innovate, and numerous studies have proven that organizations with a diverse workforce have the essential ingredient for innovation. The challenge is knowing how to embrace the creativity in a way that produces innovation and then being flexible and agile enough as an organization to make the internal changes needed to capitalize on the innovation. A new idea is not necessarily innovation if it does not require change. The barriers to becoming a truly innovative company are not always obvious. Sometimes it comes down to managers who get caught up in day-to-day priorities and fail to move innovative ideas forward. Other roadblocks include failing to embrace the diverse perspectives in the workforce through inclusion, not giving people opportunities to be creative due to continued bureaucratic control, and management that lacks the perspectives and skills needed to promote innovation. It all adds up to an organization that does not support true innovation because it locks people into current systems and ways of operating.
Robust Innovation Requires a Robust Culture
Innovation is achieved through people which means it is more about talent management than it is with technical control. Even an R&D function can fail when it gets bound up in conventional perspectives, rules, and established controls that discourage employees from being truly innovative. It comes down to leadership, and top leadership is often the first barrier to innovation because it is limited by traditional managerial skills and strategies. Creating an innovative culture requires changing management perspectives on building a successful team approach to innovation.
Despite knowing that siloed organizations are hampered by the silos, they persist. One of the most important steps organizational leaders can take is ensuring different areas work together to generate innovation. This makes innovation the responsibility of everyone in the organization rather than a department like R&D. A specialized department like R&D has a critical role, but also sends a message that the responsibility for innovation lies with one function. Robust innovation depends on innovation being a core value for the organization.
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