There have been times I sat down with a client and I told them, “your organization is very innovative”, but they don’t believe me. I tell them, if you don’t perceive yourself as innovative, then you’re not. Therefore, it’s critical to get both your internal and external stakeholders to see the truth.
Here’s what they need to see and believe:
An innovative corporate culture is one that supports the creation of new ideas and the implementation of those ideas. Leaders must help employees see innovation in practice as a regular part of how the company does business.
See innovation as a competency
Innovation is a skill, not a gift. It can be learned by anyone and applied systematically. Innovative companies treat it as just another core skill by:
See innovation as a competitive weapon
Innovative companies use innovation to differentiate themselves by:
See innovation as a process
Innovative companies don’t treat innovation as special, unique activity. They see it instead as an ongoing “stream of effort” along with quality, leadership, productivity, and other imperatives. They do this by:
See innovation as both systematic and opportunistic
The most innovative companies flex between different styles of creating opportunity by:
Most importantly, you as a marketing leader must constantly remind both your employees and external stakeholders how innovative the company is. It’s the perception from these two groups that drive an innovative culture.