How many times I do read in the “Careers” section of the corporate websites claiming that “We have a culture that fosters innovation”, although in real world we see only a handful of companies doing innovation in their domains. Rests are merely followers or at the most “Improvisers”.
Why is Innovation difficult?
Innovation and creativity is difficult – because its needs high degree of talent as well as high degree of risk-taking capability and a very supportive business culture. Only one practical and commercially viable innovation emerges out of hundreds of failed ideas. Beyond every successful innovation is a long trail of failures and frustrations accompanied by a huge loss of money and time.
Thousands of entrepreneurs, employees and independent professional strive hard to innovate and create a new products, services and solutions. However, only a few succeed. What about those whose attempt proved unsuccessful?
Unfortunately, in most of the companies – the winner have it all; and those who fail are often looked upon with frowned eyes – and even reprimanded. Once beaten twice shy – many employee start playing safe – merely saving there job and to hell with innovation.
Though innovation being an important ingredient for success, each organization has limited funds & resources and cannot afford too many failed attempts for innovations. However, the path to success (at least large scale success) cannot be achieved being “Immune to Innovations” and avoiding the risks associates with the innovation. Consequently, thousands of organizations are struggling to inculcate the culture of innovation and create something worth while.
Then how to maintain a favorable culture for innovation and also avoid too much risk. Here are some questions that HR (or the management) must answer:
Question 1: How do the managers / management react when an employee come out with weird ideas?
Innovation often starts with some weird idea coming into somebody’s mind, something that doesn’t exist or is a fancy. An employee with innovative bend of mind, often approaches their manager with these ideas. How do managers react? Are they encouraged to polish these ideas or frowned upon for their silly thoughts?
Question 2: Do you forgive employees for the failure while trying out new things?
Where there is an effort to innovate, there is a risk of failure. How do you react to failures will define how your work force innovates I future.
Question 3: Do your employees dare to speak their heart out?
Is the fear factor of your employees low enough to speak their heart out? Can the disagreements with superiors be aired? Fear factor is the biggest enemy of innovation.
Question 4: Do you encourage risk takers (or only the successful ones)?
Innovation is a risk. It is important to encourage people to take calculated risk – proactively.
Question 5: What is your punishment for failure?
Employees are once beaten twice shy. They react the same way when one of their peers is punished. To maintain a healthy culture for innovation, it is necessary that the failed ‘Innovators’ are handled very carefully.
Question 6: Do you have clear guidelines for risk related to innovation?
While every company wants to be innovative, no company can afford to spend unlimited amount on funds on risks and failures, and neither can a company afford to suppress the culture of innovation. The middle path is to set clear guidelines and allocate the funds for Innovation. Employees must know their limitations – in terms of resources and money.
Innovation should not be merely a chaos or hit and trail – it should be a deliberate conscious effort to crate something useful, something meaningful and something commercially viable.
Long live innovation driven organizations!
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