Simple clarity against innovation friction losses

We often have the feeling that people still talk past each other when it comes to innovation. This, of course, creates a lot of friction.

Our recommendation is to check whether or not there is a common definition of the term “innovation” in the team. If this is not the case, it is important to develop a common definition, to publish it consistently and visibly in the company and to check it perhaps once a year to see whether it still fits the current framework conditions of the organisation

The example shown in the figure is our favourite and our recommendation, as it combines five very important aspects of a definition:

Innovations are implemented ideas.
Innovations are only innovations if they revolutionise markets.
Innovations solve problems and thus bring added value.
Innovations are for our customers and thus human-centred.
Innovations, or rather we as idea finders, are one step ahead of our customers.

So when there is a common definition, there is clarity and when there is clarity, there is innovation. Only when everyone moves in one direction does the position of the status quo change!

Exercise: Common understanding of innovation

A simple exercise can provide certainty about the common understanding of innovation. All team members are asked to write down their definition of innovation within two minutes and in a maximum of two sentences.

Afterwards, all definitions are collected on a wall/pinboard for everyone to see. If there are as many different definitions as there are participants, action must be taken. Only if people working together in a company have the same idea of something can you make it efficient – this also applies to “innovations”.

Start with the reflection question: “What do you notice when you now look at all the definitions?”
Answers that are typically given are:
“The word NEW occurs frequently.”
“All the definitions are correct – none are wrong.”
The most important answer would be, “We don’t have a common definition.”

The resulting task for the team is now to come up with a common definition on the term “innovation” over a period of perhaps a few weeks, and then to challenge it for relevance in a cyclical manner.

With inspiring greetings,
Benno van Aerssen