I come across a few organisations that have set up their own innovation teams or design thinking teams to create innovation for organisations.

While the notion of having a smart team to develop ideas is admirable, in reality, it falls short of what they are trying to achieve - which is to innovate across an organisation.

 The reason why they often fail is that they have separate units that are isolated from the whole organisation.

This means that while they might come up with some good ideas, the rest of the organisation (who incidentally are the ones who will have to execute the ideas) are more than likely to receive any blame if the ideas don't succeed.

Herein lies the problem. Innovation is not a separate skill reserved for the specially chosen few.

The more we prevent everyone from innovating, the more other people will resent innovation and resent the people who are allowed to innovate.

Don't just rely on the R&D department

Much of this stilted thinking mentality stems from the old notion of the R&D department. Too many organisations still think of innovation helping to invent the next widget.

While it's important to continually create new products, innovation can also be applied to the processes & services we have in our organisations. These are all proven areas that can have just as much commercial return as innovating on the product.

 So if we can't have separate innovation teams, who will spearhead innovation within the organisation?

This is a good question because leading innovation is different from executing innovation.

Innovation leaders should help facilitate innovation by teaching innovation skills, facilitating insights, ideation & prototyping sessions, and encouraging people to innovate.

Keeping this type of innovative potential locked away in a separate team fosters resentment and resistance to accepting other people's ideas.

 So how do we find or create these innovation leaders and facilitators?

Innovation, like other critical business skills, is a skill that anyone can learn and apply. All you need is good innovation training, step-by-step innovation processes that people can follow, and some work on creating behaviours that lead to innovative cultures.

Focus on developing innovative facilitators and  innovation processes so that everyone can innovate.

In my latest client research (as documented in my latest book Innovation Archetypes), I've identified 4 critical phases to innovation that allow sustainable and profitable commercial innovation.

Within each of these phases, there are many professionals trained with skills & mindsets that excel in innovating.

After diagnosing an organisation's innovation strengths and weaknesses, it's easy to look at recruiting or training strategies to strengthen any deficiencies to allow consistent innovation.

Any professional can adopt the vital, innovative principles of innovation Archetypes (those that epitomise innovation).

 This might all sound expensive and time-consuming. The reality is it doesn't have to be. With access to the right step-by-step processes, anyone can become a world-class innovator, and any team can start to create world-class innovations.

Rather than look at isolating innovation teams, focus on developing innovative facilitators and acquiring innovation processes so that everyone becomes equipped to innovate.

Follow this up with some clear innovation objectives and KPIs such as the number of insights, ideas, and prototypes, etcetera you would like to create each month or each business quarter. 

Finally, ensure you develop innovation rituals that encourage innovation. This might vary from innovation 'show and tells' from outside of the industry, celebrating failures, going on field trips, and having a 'most improved innovator award.'

Conclusion:

• Separate innovation teams are expensive investments that often fail to deliver consistently.
  
• It's better to invest in training and equipping facilitators throughout the whole organisation with simple tools so that innovation becomes integrated, accessible, and a powerhouse engine of profitability for your organisation.
• Have clear innovation objectives and KPIs such as the number of insights, ideas, and prototypes, etcetera you would like to create each month or each business quarter. 
• Ensure you develop innovation rituals that encourage innovation.

Go and integrate vs. isolate. 

We share our innovation processes to switched on leaders just like you to fix these issues at TheReinventionClub.com

Find out how our Reinvention Club can help you today.

Cheers,

Nils Vesk

Keynote speaker, Author, Innovation futurist, Innovation strategist