Leadership For Innovation
The success of any business today is reliant on not only outstanding products and services, innovative marketing, well-oiled sales channels and flawless, customer-focused operations. These are not optional; rather they are significant elements for business success. But what makes the variation between future industry leaders and those back in the pack? Innovation. Leading for innovation is significant for success today, tomorrow and in the years ahead.
Leadership For Innovation
Engage all employees and their ideas.
Even though associates have been espousing this idea since the invention of the "suggestion box" few associates actually take this principle seriously or use it effectively. There need to be easy ways for all employees (plus suppliers and customers) to supply ideas. The ideas need to be reviewed in a timely manner and feedback needs to be provided to those who supply the ideas. This cannot be a short term "program" or task but an on-going process which become part of the way of doing business.
Continuous planning.
Strategic and business planning are central to any productive corporation, business or other organization. Unfortunately, many get caught up in the process (annual) rather than using it as an on-going occasion for bubbling up new ideas and integrating them into the short and long term goods and financial plans for the business. Planning should not just be about products, sales, revenue, costs and expense by period, but rather it should be about monetizing ideas and place resources against those ideas which are going to create the most sales and create the most efficiencies.
Rewarding risk taking while rewarding success.
Many associates have recognition programs from trophies, to certificates to financial incentives for contributions to the success of the business. Frankly, the type of award, recompense or recognition is less Leading than the fact that it is done. associates are quick to award sales success for closing the big deal and exceeding revenue quota. It is equally Leading for associates to find ways to recompense the contribution of ideas to the front-end of the process. The ideas which evolve into new products, services and improved operations must effect in recognition for the individuals and teams who contribute them.
Challenge how it's done today.
Now matter how anyone is done today it can be done better - either faster, with less costs, with more quality, with greater revenue contribution or in other ways better accomplish to goals and objectives of the business - not matter how lively they may appear.
Making transportation easy.
The most innovative associates present often and easily. They present from above. They present across. They encourage their customers and suppliers to present about what is working and more importantly what is not working. And they make it easy to present from the trenches to the top. either face-to-face, by e-mail, blogs, letters, Im, telephone or other means, communications is significant to innovation. But it only begins with receiving the message regardless of the means of communication.
More bottoms up than top down.
Innovative associates are not driven from the top down. They are driven by their customers and those front line employees who deal with the customers day-to-day. While R&D is essential, customers may express their real needs and line employees may see inefficiencies before they are ever raised straight through a formal scientific process or formal efficiency task force produce their reports.
Time is the enemy.
When fighting a war, every singular day counts. This has fact has been recognized by warrior-generals going back to the earliest conflicts and persisting on to high tech battlefields. The same holds true in business. The longer an idea for a new goods or aid or a process improvement is analyzed by working and leadership committees, the less likely they will supply a positive, contentious business impact. Once an idea or hint has been submitted - especially by customer or a front-line employee, the clock is ticking. A timely evaluation, amelioration and implementation process is needed to insure they are screened and action is taken while the idea still has its "punch".
Global ideas.
The best ideas do not come from your town. Or your state. Or even your country. There is a whole world go great ideas out there. Tap into them globally. Even if your business is not yet global, ideas for new products, services and better ways of doing thing can come from sources Memphis to Singapore not just the office consulation room and the corporate planning retreat.
Seniority agnostic.
New employees, either fresh from college or from someone else manager are a great source of innovation (we are not recommending stealing possession data or intellectual property). And at the same time, employees who have performed the same function year-after-years may be discounted as not have an original idea. Nonsense! New employees, long tenure employees and all in between need to be free to offer up ideas and recommendations. And all ideas and recommendations need to be taken equally seriously regardless of the source.
By applying all of these concepts, any corporation, business or other society can thrive. There is no such thing as too many ideas or too much innovation. The business imperative is to create a culture built on ideas and to vet the implement those ideas with velocity. Not every idea will be successful. But may will and that will make all the variation in the marketplace.
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