It’s interesting to me how the word innovation is applied to nearly everything nowadays. I dare you to watch a car commercial where the term innovation isn’t used – though they rarely clarify what was actually innovative about the vehicle. The notion of innovation is thrown about so cavalierly that it’s steadily been stripped of any real meaning. This needs to end.
Innovation typically has only two main avenues from which to spring. The most widely used is the idea of “professional innovation.” This is the notion that professional designers and engineers, working in tightly managed teams are the source of all worthy innovation. They have been given direction and vision from on high (upper management) and they apply their unique dark magic to create the next hot idea from nothing. After all, this is what they’re paid to do. It makes sense.
But consider the limitations this approach has. First, these magnificent conjurers are rarely autonomous but rather work solely at the direction of the company’s top management. The goals and vision of the company is ultimately limited by management’s foresight and ability to gage the needs of the customer. Often they operate in complete ignorance to the needs of the customer. This is a huge problem. Secondly, any innovation brought forth is narrowly focused – a sword that cuts both ways. And this in turn leads to repetitive thinking routines that often miss the treasure just to the side of the path because they have their corporate blinders on. Also, it labors under the presumption that these few innovators, if left alone and undistracted, will have epiphany after epiphany and earn their pay. Will they?
The alternative approach to innovation is a collaborative one. It is so collaborative that I term it “hive innovation” to capture the breadth of it. Much like a bee colony, hive innovation springs from the unbridled cooperation and collaboration of every member of the organization. This level of innovation may be challenging to manage at first, but suffers none of the limitations of the former approach. As David Reid of Chick-fil-A says, “It’s easier to restrain mustangs than to kick mules.”
One phenomenal result of this kind of innovation over its professional cousin is that it stimulates innovation in EVERY ASPECT of your business, not just your product offerings. Think about that. The ingredients that are usually absent for this innovation juggernaut to get started are engagement, learning to see, and organizational trust – defined below for clarity.
· Engagement – the whole-hearted and enthusiastic commitment of individuals to the success of the organization
· Learning to See – education and training designed to impart enhanced situational awareness, waste identification, scientific experimentation, and teamwork
· Organizational Trust – the presence of an empowered workforce operating in a blame-free environment where proper recognition and accountability exist
Do you want to out-innovate the competition? Are you content with a team of innovators or would you prefer an army?
Lean in and Lean on.