How To Create Value Through Innovation In The New Year

It is a widely held view that successful companies are those that are able to innovate more effectively than their competition – but what does this word mean?

Scott Berkun, the author of a number of books on innovation, cautions that the word ‘innovation’ has become meaningless, lost in corporate jargon that no one understands.

When pushed for a definition that he is comfortable with, he opts for “Innovation is significant positive change”.

My concern with the concept of ‘innovation’ is that it sounds like something that ‘someone else’ does… divorced from the daily reality of an employee’s job…. something that people in white coats in laboratories do.

My preferred definition of innovation is; Doing better things and doing things better.

This definition can resonate with everyone on the organisation.

Anyone who cares about improving what they do or how they do it can be a participant in value creation from innovation.

To do this you really have to have a mindset around improving yourself first.

Daniel Burrus, a technology futurist, writes about innovation strategy and challenges us all to be more receptive to new ideas, proactive in our search for information and patient in our desire to find creative solutions to problems.

I recommend you read his post, Creativity and Innovation – Your Keys To A Successful Organization.

How does your company rate at encouraging creativity and innovation?

Thinking ahead to the New Year it might be a good time to consider Burrus’ suggestions and how they might apply to you and how you operate.

Is there anything you can be doing to get yourself  ‘innovation’ ready?