News
New PWC Study shows CEO's believe companies must collaborate on innovation all the time.
There is a
new study out, a survey conducted by PWC.
They asked CEO's to evaluate the importance of innovation to the future
of their organization. A link to the
survey is below.
The results reflect
a few important items:
a few important items:
1 . The CEO's believe they need Radical or
Breakthrough Innovation, not just Incremental Improvements.
Breakthrough Innovation, not just Incremental Improvements.
2 . CEO's think Innovation needs to be
part of the company DNA, not just the purview of a select few.
part of the company DNA, not just the purview of a select few.
3 . The study shows CEO's conclude
innovation is as important as operational excellence.
innovation is as important as operational excellence.
4 . They see collaboration as the pathway
to innovation success.
to innovation success.
So in
summary, CEO's report that their company should put innovation at the forefront
of their effort, they need to get everyone working on innovation together and
all the time.
summary, CEO's report that their company should put innovation at the forefront
of their effort, they need to get everyone working on innovation together and
all the time.
Knowing this'how
to move forward? There may be two magical
steps toward getting everyone to collaborate on innovation together and all the
time.
to move forward? There may be two magical
steps toward getting everyone to collaborate on innovation together and all the
time.
' Make it a habit for everyone to offer
contributions to the group.
contributions to the group.
' Make everyone feel they are part of
the group.
the group.
I think we
all know the success of a company-wide collaborative effort requires a long list
of steps, but the principle steps are'
all know the success of a company-wide collaborative effort requires a long list
of steps, but the principle steps are'
' Embrace a company-wide culture of
innovation
innovation
' Communicate that stance to employees,
vendors, partners and customers
vendors, partners and customers
' Positively acknowledge behaviors that
fulfill that status
fulfill that status
Several other
studies may have made clear some tactics companies can use to get there.
studies may have made clear some tactics companies can use to get there.
Habits
Let's try
effectively programming everyone with new habits.
effectively programming everyone with new habits.
Habits form
when we do something so often that it becomes automatic, sometimes even
compulsive or involuntary. If making innovation oriented contributions becomes
the new norm, then everyone will want to participate in normal behavior and
make those contributions.
when we do something so often that it becomes automatic, sometimes even
compulsive or involuntary. If making innovation oriented contributions becomes
the new norm, then everyone will want to participate in normal behavior and
make those contributions.
What is the definition
of this new habitual behavior? Subjects are moved to make contributions to an
innovation system as part of their normal workday over and over, and do so consistently
whenever they get bored, in between other tasks, and when they do so purposely.
Along with all those office apps (and
probably Facebook or Twitter), the innovation portal is always open on everyone's
desktop.
of this new habitual behavior? Subjects are moved to make contributions to an
innovation system as part of their normal workday over and over, and do so consistently
whenever they get bored, in between other tasks, and when they do so purposely.
Along with all those office apps (and
probably Facebook or Twitter), the innovation portal is always open on everyone's
desktop.
The brain's
ability to form habits is actually one of its strengths. A habit is a powerful
shortcut that helps us stay more productive: If we learn to react automatically
to things in our environment, we preserve mental energy for the harder
decisions.
ability to form habits is actually one of its strengths. A habit is a powerful
shortcut that helps us stay more productive: If we learn to react automatically
to things in our environment, we preserve mental energy for the harder
decisions.
Here's theproposal: Ideally when a team member'
' gets an idea,
' has a question,
' needs to research something, or
' knock off items on their to-do list,
'they are
encouraged to consider tapping into the knowledge base found in the innovation portal
as their very first step.
encouraged to consider tapping into the knowledge base found in the innovation portal
as their very first step.
In this
scenario we all embrace web 2.0 collaborative technology to perform our daily
work; and as part of 'our' group.
scenario we all embrace web 2.0 collaborative technology to perform our daily
work; and as part of 'our' group.
Bottom
Line: We need to habitually collaborate
on innovation.
Line: We need to habitually collaborate
on innovation.
Group
Our group
embraces innovation and the whole company is in our group.
embraces innovation and the whole company is in our group.
We want to nurture
our group loyalty. Anthropologists will
tell us we learn to see ourselves and others as parts of particular groups. If
we want everyone in our group to participate in the collaborative process
working on innovation, we need to redefine everyone's perception of what group
to which they belong.
our group loyalty. Anthropologists will
tell us we learn to see ourselves and others as parts of particular groups. If
we want everyone in our group to participate in the collaborative process
working on innovation, we need to redefine everyone's perception of what group
to which they belong.
The key is
to change how we perceive the permanence of our own personal qualities. If we
think an identity or a situation in our own lives is fixed and unchangeable, we
are more inclined to judge others negatively who don't share that identity.
to change how we perceive the permanence of our own personal qualities. If we
think an identity or a situation in our own lives is fixed and unchangeable, we
are more inclined to judge others negatively who don't share that identity.
However, our
perception of permanence can be open to adjustment. By reminding people that
the categories we fall into may not be so fixed, we seem to be able to defuse
the assumption that everyone would be happier if only they were like us. We're
looking at the malleability of our identities here.
perception of permanence can be open to adjustment. By reminding people that
the categories we fall into may not be so fixed, we seem to be able to defuse
the assumption that everyone would be happier if only they were like us. We're
looking at the malleability of our identities here.
We want to
reshape our abilities to perceive our own relationships. The more we idealize our status and the more
favorably we judge others who share it, the more powerful (and productive) our
group becomes.
reshape our abilities to perceive our own relationships. The more we idealize our status and the more
favorably we judge others who share it, the more powerful (and productive) our
group becomes.
If we havean institutional incentive to
produce innovation then creating a new and permanent forum to research, talk
about, and solve serious innovation problems, is the pathway for everyone to feel
compelled to contribute to the innovation needs of our group.
Bottom Line: Our group collaborates on innovation; it's
what we do.
what we do.
Wrap up
Let's work
on redefining our approach to innovation.
We're not just going to run idea jams.
We're not just going to periodically run an idea contest.
on redefining our approach to innovation.
We're not just going to run idea jams.
We're not just going to periodically run an idea contest.
We're going
to redefine our workplace as an ongoing, constant forum for collaboration where
all of us are tasked with contributing innovative ideas to our group.
to redefine our workplace as an ongoing, constant forum for collaboration where
all of us are tasked with contributing innovative ideas to our group.
We're all
part of a new group that believes innovation is the foundation for our
future. We habitually collaborate as
part of our workday.
part of a new group that believes innovation is the foundation for our
future. We habitually collaborate as
part of our workday.
Good ideas
and breakthrough innovation is the result.
and breakthrough innovation is the result.
PWC, 'Unleashing
the Power of Innovation', 2013
the Power of Innovation', 2013
J. Bayer, S. Campbell, 'Computers in
Human Behavior.' October 2013
Human Behavior.' October 2013
Simon, Bernd; Brown, Rupert, Perceived
intragroup homogeneity in minority-majority contexts. Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology, Oct 1987
intragroup homogeneity in minority-majority contexts. Journal of Personality
and Social Psychology, Oct 1987
Paris, Budapest, et al, An
experimental investigation into the formation of intergroup representations'
European Journal of Social Psychology 22
FEB 2006
experimental investigation into the formation of intergroup representations'
European Journal of Social Psychology 22
FEB 2006
D.Kille, R. Eibach, Series of studies, Psychological
Science, October 2013
Science, October 2013
Ron Shulkin blogs, researches andwrites about enterprise technology focused on social media, innovation, voice
of the customer, marketing automation and enterprise feedback management.
You can learn more about Ron at his biography web site:www.shulkin.net.
You can follow him Twitter. You can follow his blogs at this Facebook group. You can connect with Ron on
LinkedIn.
Ron Shulkin is Vice President of the
Americas for CogniStreamer', an innovation ecosystem. CogniStreamer serves as a
Knowledge Management System, Idea Management System and Social Network for Innovation.
CogniStreamer has been rated as a 'Leader' in Forrester's recent Wave report on
Innovation Management Tools. You can learn more about CogniStreamer here http://bit.ly/ac3x60
. Ron also manages The Idea Management Group on LinkedIn (JoinHere).