Betting on innovation in a company is more than declaring future intentions and goes far beyond saying phrases that adorn meeting rooms. Innovation requires the entrepreneur and the organization to modify certain habits, behaviors, and rules that have always been considered immutable.
Two aspects in which we must work to develop this element are control and common sense. In the first area, it is required to give a greater degree of freedom to employees and collaborators, partially reducing the control of work teams, allowing for error and the exploration of ideas. On the other hand, common sense can be the worst enemy of innovation, which will tell us that a strategy or product is not coherent or that it will not work and that work must continue as it has been done up to now.
In addition, there are some errors that can destroy any innovative attempt in our company and that we must eliminate if we want to stay ahead. Take note:
Defining innovators
One mistake is to argue that innovation only corresponds to a certain team or to a particular person within the company. Innovation must be a matter for all members of a company, everyone has something to say and a brilliant idea can come from anyone.
Encourage individual work
If an individual and not group rewards are promoted, solo work is encouraged and teamwork and all its innovative potential are undermined. The advantage of a group is the diversity of opinions, cultures, and points of view; all this is very useful when it comes to innovating by the inventors.
Marked hierarchies
Vertical hierarchies can destroy an idea, even if it is a very good one. On the one hand, the notion is implanted that all ideas and orders must come from the top or top management of the organization, blocking all margins to generate new points of view from any other member. On the other hand, many times a good and innovative proposal gets stuck at an intermediate level of the hierarchy, for no apparent reason and without giving it possibilities to grow.
Excess bureaucracy
A true killer of all innovative instincts is bureaucracy. Forms, documents, processes, presentations, and procedures are truly lethal to carry out an idea. Light and agile processes must be arranged until it is executed, where more rigorous processes are necessary. Make it easy for your collaborators to present and carry out a good idea.
Wall of data
Information and data often help us make better decisions. In the field of innovation, this is not necessarily the case. An innovative and disruptive idea may not be unprecedented, so existing information does not always work. Furthermore, we must remember that the data often need an interpretation and are not conclusive a priori.
Not tolerating failure
Knowing how to manage failure in a company is an incentive for innovation, by being able to take the risk of giving alternative answers to frequently asked questions and giving various options. You also learn from mistakes. Many times, failure is the seed of success, as we are guided by new paths.
Failing to recognize the innovator
Bulky rewards are not necessary, but the innovative contribution of a team member should not be overlooked. Acknowledging ownership and giving leadership to the project is critical and can be supplemented by benefits such as some percentage of project earnings. Thus, you will foster an innovative spirit in your business, which will undoubtedly bring benefits to your company.