The Managerial Innovation Hub
WARNING:
The Innovation Hub is NOT about: Technology, R&D, or new products.
The Innovation Hub = Culture = Way of life
The spokes = Functions, Lines of business, divisions, departments, and others.
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Hence, WHAT is a CULTURE?
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What is the real culture of your organization?
Innovation: the buzzword of the buzzword
Questions:
1.How can we make sense of it?
2.How can we make ourselves innovative?
3.How can we make our organization innovative?
This is a waking up call to treat the "innovation phenomenon" in a more holistic way.
We are seeking to make the "innovation path" unique:
To base the "innovation path" on the culture of the organization.
Yes, innovation is NOT "copy & paste" from others.
It should be unique and will stem from the culture.
Hence, any workshop or seminar will start from the culture (=" the way we are making decisions") and aim to fulfill the organization's strategy.
The culture represents the "healthy soil."
We treat the soil with fertilizers to enrich the "healthy soil" to make our organization ready for the innovative spirit.
The seeds we will plant grow much quicker if the soil is rich enough.
Meaning: will not poison the seeds.
The role of the management is to make sure that each decision or action will go align with the "enriching the soil" spirit.
The real poison for the "healthy soil" is the
bureaucracy phenomenon.
This is the mindset.
The practices will follow.
Stay tuned.
Credit: https://lnkd.in/dMHMVHzT
Let's clear the vocabulary:
1. Invention = to invent something new.
Example: inventing the wheel.
2. Innovation = to copy knowledge or know-how from domain to domain.
Examples: implement Data Science in sport, technology matters, and the entire decision-making arena.
3. Creativity = a mindset of counter-intuitive thinking.
The buildings blocks might include:
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Coping with the human behavior biases while making sense of the environment
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Reframing
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Thought-provoking
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Looking from different angles
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Vertical vs. lateral thinking
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Out-of-the-box thinking
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Listening to others with an open heart,
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and alike.
The beauty of the simplicity
The metaphor:
The Hub is the managerial culture.
The spokes might include the line of business, functional divisions, line of activities, and others.
Each spoke's culture stems from the Hub.
Creativity and Innovation spirit comes from the Hub: the managerial culture.
Or: the way we make decisions.
The transition toward Creativity and Innovation can be ONLY if we give freedom to make choices by the knowledgeable people at the front of the matters. People who are "on the ground."
Bureaucracy, OUT.
As simple as that!
But, how can we balance the "RIGHT" degree of freedom at each business unit, activity, or division?
Here, we will turn to one of the best definitions of CULTURE:
The Financial Times argued that:
"The word "culture" comes from the Latin colere, meaning to cultivate or grow. Culture is always in motion.
It represents the fears and aspirations that shape us and propel us
towards how we want to live.*"
Let's continue with the metaphor:
The HUB represents the managerial culture that encourages the right balance of freedom at each unit.
The wheel's functionality depends heavily on how each component (Hub, spokes, and the part that hit the asphalt) synchronizes with each other.
Professor Michal Jensen called it: "INTEGRITY":
Integrity – whole, complete.
Physical aspect: to do something that it will function in the most severe conditions.
Note:
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The effort is not essential.
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The importance: the functioning of the end-result.
Sum-up:
Look at the components of the wheel as a SYSTEM.
A system should run smoothly and effectively by encouraging the right balance of freedom to enhance the creative and innovative spirit.
It is all about the culture that evolves under the leadership of the organization.
Do you want to chat about it?
Just approach us.
*Source: https://www.ft.com/content/8239d8e4-7add-4db1-b64e-99afc2e749bb
Innovation:
Does the word INNOVATION have a cryptic character?
Merriam-Webster explains:
"Cryptic refers to something that is difficult to understand
or that has or appears to have a hidden meaning."
If you look at the way businesspersons treat the INNOVATION phenomenon, the answer is YES.
Hence, to make the INNOVATION part of your firm's DNA, follow these steps.
These three questions might serve as guidelines.
WHY
What are the reasons to be an innovative firm?
Two possible answers:
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To gain a competitive advantage among your peers.
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To cope with the ongoing uncertainty of our time (pandemic, environmental disasters, and others).
HOW
How do I start this journey?
Here we have few practices that we are willing to share with you.
WHAT
What is the roadmap?
The roadmap depends on the discussion we will have about the two questions above.