In dealing with many innovators and companies in our work at Innovationedge, we sometimes hear complaints about leaders who seem to be anti-innovation. You know, the kind who supposedly “wouldn’t touch innovation with a 10-foot pole.” Sometimes these leaders aren’t really anti-innovation, but anti-waste and especially pro-results. That’s not a bad thing!
Maybe their past experience with innovation showed little return and little direction. Maybe they were once talked into supporting misguided innovation adventures without the right strategy, controls and metrics. Maybe innovation waste came out of their pocket. These leaders sometimes can be reached and shown a better way such as the “Horn of Innovation” paradigm described in Conquering Innovation Fatigue for more productive, targeted innovation.
Once they understand what innovation can do when guided by the right strategy once they see what metrics make sense to gauge progress, they can become more comfortable with meaningful, targeted innovation. In fact, they can become some of the best champions of real innovation. Don’t give up on them. Reach out with our “ten-foot pole of innovation” and help them become converts to innovation that matters.
From YouTube.com/magicinnovation (Jeff Lindsay’s Magic Innovation channel): “Reaching Executives Who Wouldn’t Touch Innovation with a Ten-Foot Pole.” Recorded in Appleton, Wisconsin. All rights reserved.
This is video #5 in my series of “magic innovation” video lectures. OK, they’re a bit lame, and it’s not secret that I’m an amateur, but I hope you’ll learn something useful from some of them. Or have a bit of fun. And don’t forget, of course, to buy the book.