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©W Burnett LLC
"Innovation is the central issue in economic prosperity" -- Michael
Porter, Havard Business School
We
construct teams around innovators who analyze the business problem, synthesize knowledge and ideas, and develop solutions. Ideas always come
from individuals, but teams provide the healthy interaction, background,
knowledge and insights that facilitate idea creation. Different
business problems may require different individual approaches to finding a
good solution, but usually some mixture of the methods described below can
be advantageous.
Brainstorming:
Ø Brainstorming must be led by an experienced brainstorming leader who knows how to create the right safe but competitive environment and lets the ideas flow first from others on the team.
Ø Before bringing others into the innovation process, the innovation leader must think through the problem to be able to initiate the analytic process.
Ø The leader should communicate the problem clearly to the team members before calling a team meeting.
Ø Brainstorming individually before and after team meetings is a very productive way to synthesize knowledge and ideas.
Ø Brainstorming teams foster creativity by providing fertile interaction of personalities, knowledge, and energy, which expand the horizons for innovators. It is a great environment for people to share and spread ideas and knowledge.
Ø Brainstorming environments need to be safe from humiliation, intimidation, and ridicule. It is best to keep the Devils Advocate away from brainstorming sessions.
Ø A well-managed brainstorming session is fast paced and rewarding for all participants.
Immersion:
Ø Where management has been in place for a long time (> 4 years), the potentiality to generate new ideas is largely exhausted.
Ø When two or more innovators are given job assignments within the unit, they can almost always come up with brand new ways to improve the business within a few weeks.
Ø Innovators need to be trained to function appropriately in this role, and must be willing to see the ideas through to delivery.
Ø Management in the unit must be fully on-board with the innovation initiative. The process works well with management transition.
Polling with Rewards:
Ø It is natural to ask innovators at the time they are identified to bring forward all their harbored ideas for improvement.
Ø Creating a reward process and then polling the workforce for ideas for improvement often leads to surprisingly creative ideas. As simple as this technique is, it is used too infrequently.
Ø Polling for ideas is an engaging management practice, and good for morale, even where no significant ideas are forwarded.