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Are you currently managing the Innovation program at your organization, or will soon do so? There are a few basics that are important for every successful Innovation Manager to know & understand.
In this article, I cover 3 of those basics. Let us get started…
1. Innovation Takes Time
“Innovation is about more than just planning new products, services, brand extensions or technology inventions. It’s about imagining, mobilizing and competing in new ways.” – Idris Moot, writer of “Design Thinking for Strategic Innovation”
Since you are in charge of innovation at your organization it is important to make time to innovate! Give your team free time to focus on just innovation; a chance to get out of workday mode and in to creative mode.
Innovative ideas can take days, weeks, months, or come at the snap of a finger. Be patient with your team.
To get the most out of your innovation time, be selective of your group and value inexperience that can lead to new perspectives.
2. Your Organization’s Culture Impacts Innovation
The culture of your organization can strongly affect your innovation process. Give your team the time and freedom to fail. Failure can be a good thing for innovation. If they feel there will be punishment when an innovation idea fails, they will not be a open with their ideas.
Be accessible to your team and loyal to your organization’s culture.
Innovation requires inspiration. Inspire your team through your own actions and dedication to your organization’s vision. Always be persuasive with ideas that you truly believe in.
3. Don’t Forget Implementation
Perhaps the biggest challenge of being an innovation manager is implementing submitted ideas. Most organizations, only use a small number of the tons of ideas submitted. Implementation takes time, money and approval from your organization’s management. One of the most common reasons ideas aren’t implemented is because of their foreseen risk.
When it is an improvement idea, it is safe to encourage the innovator to install his or her own idea. The more creative the idea, the riskier it is to put into place. Make a step-by-step plan for these risky innovations.
Becoming an innovation manager can be overwhelming. Up your innovation management game by following the guidelines listed above. Let us know if these hacks help and if there are any points you would add to our cheat sheet!
Suggested Next Steps:
- Companies of all sizes (from Fortune-500s to growing startups) use IdeaGlow software to build their own innovation management framework. IdeaGlow is affordably priced & relatively easy to implement. If you’re interested, you can apply for a FREE 30-day trial of IdeaGlow software.
- Get new information we publish on innovation management right in your email inbox, sign up for a FREE email newsletter packed with useful info.
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