The first thing we should say here is that it is a collective effort. What I mean by that is, ideas are best generated through collaboration and cooperation. You can't ideate most effectively alone.

An innovative culture, like all organisational cultures, is somewhat of a tone or philosophy of simply, 'how we do things here'. So it needs be part of the normal practice for everyone, not solely the one person who happens to have 'innovator' in their job title.

That notwithstanding, it must of course be grounded in the values and objectives of the organisation. You don't want people going off innovating things that have nothing to do with what your organisation sells or your customers need. 

Google famously had its "20% time rule", where employees would spend 80% of their time on their normal dutues and 20% of their time working on whatever they thought might benefit Google. That innovation time brought Google Gmail and AdSense to life.

 

Although it is said Google's 20% time is now as good as dead (instead the secretive Google X lab has taken that role), there are more arguments for the business case of giving your employees time and space to innovate without being beholden to specific outcomes, McKinsey remind us that, "Obsessing too much about budget and deadlines will kill ideas before they get off the ground."

For great Ideation and innovation process, you want volume of ideas - as many as possible, ranging from as sensible to as ridiculous as possible. Why? Because human beings tend to get fixated too quickly on an acceptable solution and mayshut down the ideation process there, or become blinded to alternative better options. (Note: this is why the first step in innovation is not the Divergence stage, but the Exploration phase where the focus is on reframing the problem. It helps us look at the problem differently and so enables us to open up to more possibilities.)

Our partner, Clair, is not only a business coach, but has specifically certified in Coaching for Innovators. Contact us to find out more about how you might develop your team's creativity and innovation.

 

Full disclosure: we're learning and development professionals and there's nothing we love more than designing and delivering customised training for your people. 

Well, almost nothing we love more...

What we really love is when that training is exactly what your organisation needs. Sometimes though, it isn't.

Sometimes, what's really needed is an objective review of the systems and processes in place to identify the obstacles and challenges being faced as change is implemented. From that review, that Needs Analysis, you will be able to identify whether the issue is a knowledge/skills gap (and therefore training would be an effective choice), or perhaps the issue is to do with the organisation design. In the latter instance, it may be more appropriate to undergo a larger Culture Change project, or Job Evaluation & Job Analysis, or perhpaps a longer term change such as implementing regular on-the-job support and regular coaching.

Any learning and training provider worth their salt should conduct a thorough client needs analysis and work with you to dive deeper to identify what can be done to create the greatest benefit for your people and your organisation. To paraphrase the Rolling Stones, you might not always get what you want, but if you work with professionals like us, you can trust you'll get what you need.