In recent years, Fortune 500 businesses have utilized a
variety of approaches and positions to encourage an innovative
culture within their organizations, with varying degrees of success. Now
that growth is once again a corporate priority (after years of cost cutting
efforts) and the understanding of how to create innovative cultures improves, there
has been increasing focus on this issue from executive leadership.
variety of approaches and positions to encourage an innovative
culture within their organizations, with varying degrees of success. Now
that growth is once again a corporate priority (after years of cost cutting
efforts) and the understanding of how to create innovative cultures improves, there
has been increasing focus on this issue from executive leadership.
Over the past few years many corporations have built sophisticated
innovation programs, often drawing on the skills and knowledge of employee
'crowds'. These crowdsourcing efforts should be focused on identifying,
selecting and developing ideas at various stages of maturity, in order to drive
a competitive and financial impact. However, the focus has tended to be on the
'front-end' of innovation, namely the identification and selection of top
quality ideas.
innovation programs, often drawing on the skills and knowledge of employee
'crowds'. These crowdsourcing efforts should be focused on identifying,
selecting and developing ideas at various stages of maturity, in order to drive
a competitive and financial impact. However, the focus has tended to be on the
'front-end' of innovation, namely the identification and selection of top
quality ideas.
The reasons for this are varied, but while coming up with
new ideas sounds like a great approach to generating innovation, especially in
the context of engaging employees, real problems often occur in the execution
of those ideas. This is what is often referred to as the 'back-end' innovation
challenge. As David Burkas said in a
Harvard Business Review article (July 2013) 'Innovation isn't an idea problem; it's
a recognition problem.'
new ideas sounds like a great approach to generating innovation, especially in
the context of engaging employees, real problems often occur in the execution
of those ideas. This is what is often referred to as the 'back-end' innovation
challenge. As David Burkas said in a
Harvard Business Review article (July 2013) 'Innovation isn't an idea problem; it's
a recognition problem.'
This idea backlog is often a result of crowdsourced, idea
generation activities pushing up against limited resources at the point of execution.
In other words, the front-end crowdsourced approach stops at the point of
execution. Generally, overworked development groups don't have the resources, inclination,
or incentive to engage in executing these new ideas.
generation activities pushing up against limited resources at the point of execution.
In other words, the front-end crowdsourced approach stops at the point of
execution. Generally, overworked development groups don't have the resources, inclination,
or incentive to engage in executing these new ideas.
Many leaders are now recognizing that this backlog of ideas created
by an activity imbalance represents missed marketplace or financial improvement
opportunities. In addition, there is the potential to turn-off those employees
that they have worked so hard to engage in the first place.
by an activity imbalance represents missed marketplace or financial improvement
opportunities. In addition, there is the potential to turn-off those employees
that they have worked so hard to engage in the first place.
For this reason, many companies are now reassessing their front-end
focused innovation activities, and are shifting attention towards activities
that drive the implementation of new products or processes, with a goal of
generating a bottom line impact. This represents a significant strategic shift from
previous innovation efforts for many companies. The result should be a more
detailed focus on driving real business benefit from innovative activities.
focused innovation activities, and are shifting attention towards activities
that drive the implementation of new products or processes, with a goal of
generating a bottom line impact. This represents a significant strategic shift from
previous innovation efforts for many companies. The result should be a more
detailed focus on driving real business benefit from innovative activities.
Aligned with this move, organizations are extending
crowdsourcing efforts from the front, to the back-end of innovation. In other
words, these companies are asking employees to not only come up with new ideas,
but also giving them the training, resources and network support so that they
can develop and launch new ideas. The opportunity to participate in idea
development is being positioned as a reward for a broad range of individuals,
rather than a burden for already overstretched specialist teams. The benefits to
this broader range of individuals that have the opportunity (not obligation) to
develop new ideas include expanding their existing skills, building
cross-functional relationships and working on high priority projects.
crowdsourcing efforts from the front, to the back-end of innovation. In other
words, these companies are asking employees to not only come up with new ideas,
but also giving them the training, resources and network support so that they
can develop and launch new ideas. The opportunity to participate in idea
development is being positioned as a reward for a broad range of individuals,
rather than a burden for already overstretched specialist teams. The benefits to
this broader range of individuals that have the opportunity (not obligation) to
develop new ideas include expanding their existing skills, building
cross-functional relationships and working on high priority projects.
To support these efforts, companies are building and
supporting formal (and at times informal)
networks of employees that are given the designation as 'Innovation Catalysts',
'Innovation Champions', etc. This remains a side responsibility of these
employees, and they are giving opportunities to connect and engage with like-minded
individuals, through connections back to often centrally managed innovation
efforts.
supporting formal (and at times informal)
networks of employees that are given the designation as 'Innovation Catalysts',
'Innovation Champions', etc. This remains a side responsibility of these
employees, and they are giving opportunities to connect and engage with like-minded
individuals, through connections back to often centrally managed innovation
efforts.
The short-term goal of these networks is to enhance collaborative
opportunities, enhance employee engagement and increase the flow of ideas. The
longer-term goal is to create a flexible and responsive pool of future
leadership talent and build a basis for cultural change.
opportunities, enhance employee engagement and increase the flow of ideas. The
longer-term goal is to create a flexible and responsive pool of future
leadership talent and build a basis for cultural change.
These networks can be supported and engaged by a wide range of
activities, some example of which include:
activities, some example of which include:
'
Access to consistent innovation-centric tools
and materials
Access to consistent innovation-centric tools
and materials
'
Training around innovation skills and approaches
Training around innovation skills and approaches
'
'Exclusive' competitions and challenges
'Exclusive' competitions and challenges
'
Regular communications, including access to
newsletters
Regular communications, including access to
newsletters
'
Opportunities to connect and engage with senior
leadership
Opportunities to connect and engage with senior
leadership
'
Better access to developing ideas, etc.
Better access to developing ideas, etc.
As an initial step, many network leaders are choosing to focus
on training their membership around a set of consistent innovation skills and
techniques (I have written about this here).
The hope is that these newly trained employees will be able to improve the
quality of idea submissions and act as a resource for idea development going
forward. In addition, given that the employees have been rewarded with the new
training, they should be encouraged to be active members of a network, helping
to drive activity and success for the network going forward.
on training their membership around a set of consistent innovation skills and
techniques (I have written about this here).
The hope is that these newly trained employees will be able to improve the
quality of idea submissions and act as a resource for idea development going
forward. In addition, given that the employees have been rewarded with the new
training, they should be encouraged to be active members of a network, helping
to drive activity and success for the network going forward.
Some examples of companies that are already successfully
building cultures of engaged and trained employees include Neiman Marcus, Intuit, Pfizer and Qualcomm. Each of these
organizations is taking their own approach to developing and supporting
employee networks to drive innovation. What is consistent amongst them is that
they are looking to utilize and direct those networks to drive a culture of
innovation, with a goal of generating financial impact to the business.
building cultures of engaged and trained employees include Neiman Marcus, Intuit, Pfizer and Qualcomm. Each of these
organizations is taking their own approach to developing and supporting
employee networks to drive innovation. What is consistent amongst them is that
they are looking to utilize and direct those networks to drive a culture of
innovation, with a goal of generating financial impact to the business.
By following the lead of these organizations, other
companies are now looking to enhance their own innovative cultures, and to
utilize employee networks to drive additional business results. This renewed
direction for innovative
activities should drive further benefit to organizations, and encourage
their success in a globally competitive marketplace.
companies are now looking to enhance their own innovative cultures, and to
utilize employee networks to drive additional business results. This renewed
direction for innovative
activities should drive further benefit to organizations, and encourage
their success in a globally competitive marketplace.
About the Author:
Anthony is the CEO of Culturevate (www.culturevateinc.com),
an organization that empowers a company's employees to execute ideas and
inspire a culture of innovation, through employee networks, a resource portal
and training programs (developed in association with Professor
Chris Labash from Carnegie
Mellon University). Anthony is a widely read author (www.culturevateinc.com), speaker and
advisor to industry leaders at organizations such as Pfizer, U.S. Postal
Service, Johnson & Johnson, ADP and Fidelity. He previously led The BNY
Mellon innovation program and has a Masters of Commerce (University of Sydney) and Bachelor of
Economics (University of Newcastle).
Anthony is the CEO of Culturevate (www.culturevateinc.com),
an organization that empowers a company's employees to execute ideas and
inspire a culture of innovation, through employee networks, a resource portal
and training programs (developed in association with Professor
Chris Labash from Carnegie
Mellon University). Anthony is a widely read author (www.culturevateinc.com), speaker and
advisor to industry leaders at organizations such as Pfizer, U.S. Postal
Service, Johnson & Johnson, ADP and Fidelity. He previously led The BNY
Mellon innovation program and has a Masters of Commerce (University of Sydney) and Bachelor of
Economics (University of Newcastle).
