How Innovation Actually Works

  Innovation   ProjectsAtWork  

Most organizations are focused on operational excellence, which requires a strict adherence to low-variance execution. This often hinders innovation and the ability to experiment and explore new ideas. But the real problem is a basic misunderstanding about how execution, efficiency and innovation actually work.

Innovation is a popular buzzword in the business world today. Every company strives to be innovative. Everyone wants to be the next Apple or Facebook. They want to revolutionize their products and services by creating the next iPad or Zappos-style service model. But they don’t. They can’t. Most companies pump out the same old gadgets and services, placing more of a focus on cost and efficiency than creativity. They are so tied to Wall Street’s demands to “grow or die” that they are rarely able to get a fresh idea into the starter phase.

Many companies today are anti-innovative without even realizing it. And without a renewed focus on innovation they will continue to see a decline in international competitiveness.

Today’s companies are structured based on scale, efficiency and execution. With such rigid structures in place, it can be difficult to move any growth initiative through an organization, let alone create groundbreaking innovation.

Growth exploration and innovation are inherently messy and seemingly inefficient …

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