Innovation is as much about attitude and perspective as it is about process. It’s an uncertain path that tests women and men’s mental and emotional fortitude; it’s not for everybody.
As innovators we have fight against human nature; our own and that from our fellow humans. The fear of not knowing is the main enemy of this story, which takes constant vigilance and engagement.
A few weeks ago I chatted with a group of students about what a culture of innovation looks like, and the conditions that have to exist for it to happen at work. Many of them were taken aback because I explicitly told them that they should look for an employer that values curiosity; the cornerstone of innovation. It’s important because they have to take a deeper look at the culture to identify those who only pay lip service from those who do innovate.
in Innovation, Leadership
Beliefs. We all have them. They’re how we make our way through life, from making decisions about who we make friends with, where we choose to work, who we collaborate with and what we do and don’t; they’re a guide to behavior.
Protect your ugly baby from the hungry beast
The only way to create new value is through innovation, but most companies pay lip service to it. That’s a fact. CEO’s say they value creativity from employees, the type that delivers disruptive offerings that result in new business models, but when push comes to shove CEO’s don’t really want new disruptive offerings; they are more worried about maintaining the status quo than in challenging it.
Yesterday I gave a talk to Foxconn employees and Directors about culture and how it drives innovation. A good way to frame culture is like this: what you reward and what you punish.
With that said, turn your attention to the following tweet:
Ideas are the seeds of innovation, and all people are creative. So, the answer is yes. But it comes with a caveat: Most every organization wants innovation but rejects creativity.…
in Innovation, Leadership
No matter how much effort we put into codifying it, innovation is really hard because it’s all about combating human nature; both inside and outside the business. …