Without Failure, we Cannot Hope to Succeed -- July 23, 2006

Innovation.  A simple word that invokes images of da Vanci, Nobel, and, even more recently but less famous is Ray Kurzweil (who invented the Kurzweil Reading Machine for the blind).  Yet as most of these prolific inventors knew, it was the relevance of innovation that defines whether their new invention or idea takes root. 

Nonetheless, there are several key characteristics of innovation that are common across all innovative organizations in their quest for sustainable profits, competitive advantage, and organizational reinvention. 

• Leadership: Without risk takers and people who think “outside-the-box,” our daily existence would be much different.  From a business perspective, without strong, independent minds, our modern corporations would lack business process disciplines, robust and expanding global communications, and even dare I say the collaborative dialogues of the Internet (no disrespect to a prior Vice President).
• Passion:  Often relegated to an “oh-by-the-way” type of c-level need and response, this trait is one of the keys for relevant innovations.  It is only people who are committed to a cause, driven by a desire, or in a quest for knowledge are the most likely to achieve results that can be used within a corporate product offering. 
• Relevance:  We’ve used this word throughout this blog entry for good reason – without relevance any idea or invention sounds intriguing.  However, it is only with the application of the innovation to a relevant and real-world problem does the applicability of the effort take on importance.  If relevance is not assigned to an innovation, then it will not be adopted and thus should be avoided for further development.
• Multi-disciplinary:  From experience and looking forward, it is doubtful that true innovation will come from singular disciplines.  Cross or multi-disciplinary innovation will be the norm providing those organizations seeking new markets, customer niches, and improved profitability with distinctive advantages that competitors will not quickly overtake or replicate.
• Openness to New Ideas:  Innovation is not static nor is it linear.  Therefore, company’s seeking to install new ideas and promotion of an entrepreneurial spirit will find that organizational culture will be a significant challenge to the fostering of new ideas and their eventual acceptance.  It takes time to change the culture and one of the best examples of a struggling innovative effort to instill openness comes from bellwether GE, as they try to reinvent themselves after the departure of their strong-willed and long-time CEO who inadvertently created a culture of efficiency at the cost of ideas.

Innovation is not achievable overnight.  It requires patience and commitment to endure non-traditional ideas and the investment needed to succeed or fail.  Failure within innovation is common and should be encouraged -- without failure, “we cannot hope to succeed.”

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