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Stephen Shapiro's excellent book, 24/7 Innovation, contains a list of four keys to building a culture of innovation, which is one of the best, most concise explanations I've seen anywhere:
"A culture of innovation is vital to a company, and very difficult to replicate. But there are some keys that can help move a company in the right direction:
- First and foremost, the company needs an impassioned leader who will be an advocate for innovative thinking and who does not tolerate cynics.
- The company needs the right people with the right skills -- skills that are difficult to find and that are also difficult to build.
- A company needs practice and patience. It needs to move at a pace that is in lockstep sync with its ability to absorb the change. Moving at a snail's pace may only perpetuate the status quo.
- Bold change, mandated change from the top, can help drive the new culture and let people know that the old ways of working are no longer acceptable. The key is to drive innovation."
As Shapiro points out, the process of building a culture of innovation can is often a long and arduous one. But, in today's fast-moving business world, it's one of the few remaining ways to build shareholder value and competitive advantage. |
