Category Archives: culture

Developing a Human-Centered Innovation Culture

Developing a Human-Centered Innovation Culture

GUEST POST from Chateau G Pato

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the importance of cultivating a human-centered innovation culture cannot be overstated. At its core, a human-centered approach to innovation prioritizes the needs, experiences, and well-being of individuals at every stage of the innovation process. By building an environment that encourages creativity, empathy, and collaboration, organizations can generate solutions that truly resonate with their end-users. Let’s explore the principles of human-centered innovation culture and examine two case studies that exemplify this approach in action.

Principles of Human-Centered Innovation

At the heart of a human-centered innovation culture lie several key principles:

  • Empathy and Understanding: Prioritizing a deep understanding of the needs, motivations, and experiences of the people you serve.
  • Collaboration: Encouraging diverse teams to work together, bringing multiple perspectives and expertise to the table.
  • Iterative Process: Embracing a cycle of prototyping, feedback, and continuous improvement.
  • Openness to Risk: Accepting failure as a learning opportunity and fostering a willingness to take calculated risks.
  • Long-term Value Creation: Focusing on solutions that generate sustainable value for users and stakeholders.

Case Study 1: IDEO

The Challenge

IDEO, a global design and consulting firm, was tasked with reimagining the traditional shopping cart experience to reduce theft and enhance customer convenience.

The Approach

IDEO embraced a human-centered approach by first spending a significant amount of time observing and interviewing shoppers and store employees to gain insights into the challenges they faced with existing carts. They then assembled a diverse team of designers, engineers, and behavioral experts to collaborate on developing prototype solutions.

The Outcome

The result was a novel cart design with features such as a modular basket system, ergonomic handles, and advanced locking mechanisms. The innovative cart addressed many pain points identified during the research phase, leading to increased user satisfaction and reduced incidents of cart theft.

Case Study 2: Airbnb

The Challenge

Airbnb sought to improve the experience for both hosts and guests by making it easier for property owners to list their accommodations and for travelers to find and book stays that met their needs.

The Approach

Airbnb employed a human-centered design approach by involving users in the design process. They conducted extensive interviews and gathered feedback from both hosts and guests to understand their pain points and aspirations. This user research informed the redesign of the Airbnb platform, emphasizing ease of use, trust, and community.

The Outcome

The redesigned platform resulted in a more intuitive user interface, streamlined booking processes, and enhanced verification features to build trust. This human-centered approach not only improved the user experience but also contributed to Airbnb’s rapid growth and widespread acceptance in the travel industry.

Conclusion

Developing a human-centered innovation culture requires commitment, empathy, and a willingness to truly understand and address the needs of users. Organizations that successfully implement this approach are often rewarded with innovative solutions that stand the test of time. By prioritizing the human element in design and decision-making, companies can create products and services that delight users and drive sustainable growth.

Extra Extra: Because innovation is all about change, Braden Kelley’s human-centered change methodology and tools are the best way to plan and execute the changes necessary to support your innovation and transformation efforts — all while literally getting everyone all on the same page for change. Find out more about the methodology and tools, including the book Charting Change by following the link. Be sure and download the TEN FREE TOOLS while you’re here.

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5 Ways to Encourage Employee Engagement

5 Ways to Encourage Employee Engagement

GUEST POST from Douglas Ferguson

How do we become disengaged? What triggers disengagement in employees? When employees are engaged they embody the vision, values, and purpose of the company. The ultimate goal is to have a team of passionate contributors who are driven toward innovation and are positive and innovative problem solvers. As Leaders, we need to understand what causes our team to be disengaged if we want to shift them towards innovation.

Problems

When considering the signs of disengagement, often the first thing that comes to mind is laziness, apathy, and dissidence. These are merely symptoms, and as leaders, we need to dig deeper to discover what is happening at the core of our company and organizational culture that is causing these symptoms to surface.

To fully understand disengagement we first need to realize there are 3 employee classifications, according to Gallup; engaged, not engaged, and actively disengaged. Less than 31% of U.S workers were engaged in their jobs in 2014 and while it is easy to see the signs of an employee who is not engaged, actively disengaged employees tend to blend in as they are choosing this path, and just want to blend in.

There are a few telltale signs to look out for:

  • No initiative in employee performance
  • Unhealthy Activities
  • Silence can indicate a problem in the workplace
  • Lack of learning and lack of motivation
  • Wasted weekends

When we begin to look at our company culture and organizational culture we can start defining what the cause of this dissidence is. Systemic cultural issues can be due to:

  • Lack of challenge in the workplace
  • Lack of recognition
  • Lack of communication
  • Lack of trust
  • Siloed teamwork
  • Missing transparency

Employee Burnout

Disengaged employees sometimes need a spark. They are almost never bad employees, check out these 5 tips to reengage the disengaged.

1. How Might We

Addressing a lack of challenge in the workplace can seem like a difficult task, but one easy shift a leader can make lies in reframing. The first step in this type of reframing is identifying themes and insights for your company. This sheds light on problem areas for clients and employees alike. Reframing the insights to include ‘How might we’ creates an opportunity for would-be innovators to freely share ideas openly because it is framed as a possibility rather than a perfected final product. Reframing to these 3 words suggests that a solution is possible and it opens the door for a variety of creative ideation and problem-solving. When we pose a question to the team in the form of ‘How Might We’ we are encouraging them rather than inhibiting them. This combats disengagement by inviting each member of the team to voice their ideas in determining the solution. Every idea is valuable, and when you create a psychologically safe environment for all voices to be heard, your team will be fully unleashed.

2. Embrace Flexibility

The future of work is shifting, and with it many organizations are realizing that the traditional way we worked in the past, 9-5 in the office, may not necessarily be the best for unlocking teams’ full potential. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 50 million jobs are work-at-home capable. This means offering employees options for in-office, remote, or hybrid schedules is not only feasible, but it could increase positive productivity, and decrease the percentage of disengaged employees.

3. Employee Experience

Understanding the expectations and needs of your employees is vital to a company’s team health. When we work to recognize employees on a deeper level we can begin to change the culture to one that is thriving with ideas. Transparency and psychological safety will elevate your team and pave the way for healthy interactions that are sure to combat disengaged employees. A critical organization system we utilize is our Employee User Manual. This document is intended to open up conversations company-wide, to ensure every employee has the ability to share preferences, growth plans, and core values. By leading teams with an exercise such as this, you are building a foundation of psychological safety, transparency, and trust.

United Employees

4. Compassion and Empathy

As leaders, there has never been a better time to build meaningful relationships with employees and communities alike. Nurturing these relationships is key to keeping disengaged employees happy, productive, and satisfied with their work.

Happy Employees

“High-performing leaders of today are different. They’re empathetic, they think about people and society, and they really listen. There will always be financially-driven executives, but they’re getting pummeled and won’t be effective today,”

leading industry analyst, Josh Bersin.

Empathy, ethics, and values lining up between leaders and teams has the potential to increase retention, cultivate ideas, and deliver a healthy work environment.

5. Motivation and Talent

Disengaged employees may simply be lacking the recognition to develop their talents. It is reported that 69% of employers say they are struggling to find the talent that they need, but with a shift in organizational culture, that talent may be present and in need of a little nurturing to fully blossom. As Terry Lee outlines, there is great potential inside everyone. It’s up to great leaders to bring it out in four nurturing ways:

  • Training

Leaders should connect with their teams as they help them better understand their importance and the value they bring to the organization.

Employee Engagement

  • Connection

Leaders should connect with their teams as they help them better understand their importance and the value they bring to the organization. Every leader should understand their company’s mission and articulate that message to staff consistently and authentically.

  • Challenges

When team members complete meaningful tasks, they may receive an intrinsic reward. One way to amplify this reward is by talking to teams to determine what they think are the most important parts of their job. Then leaders can help them structure their day around tasks that give them a feeling of purpose.

  • Coaching

Team members need coaches to meet them where they’re at. They help staff identify what options they may have to reach goals and then set the appropriate challenges that lead them to success.

Shifting Work Culture to Engage the Disengaged

At Voltage Control we believe that every team member has potential that is waiting to be released. We believe that change is necessary to remain relevant in the world of work, and through interventions and training, we can help leaders and teams unlock and unleash that potential.

Article originally appeared on VoltageControl.com

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You Must Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

You Must Be Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable

GUEST POST from Janet Sernack

It’s been a tough two and a half for everyone since the COVID-19 crisis began. Some of us have been hit very, very hard, by the impact of the pandemic exacerbated by the rate of exponential change and now, by the impact of the conflict in Ukraine.

As result, many of us are feeling overwhelmed and exhausted and languishing in varying states of anxiety and discomfort. Some of us are struggling with “not knowing” how to deal with the extreme uncertainty existing within our business and personal environments, whilst many of us are optimistically seeking to prepare and manage for what might possibly come next.

At the same time, many of us are seeking collaborative partnerships to support us and explore options for keeping both ourselves, our people, and teams engaged in moving forward creatively in a constantly changing world.  Where both the work environment and the nature of work are in a state of flux, where we are going through exceptional and extraordinary changes, and, where to both survive and thrive, we need to get comfortable with being uncomfortable with it all.

Safely stepping into the unknown

This creates an opening and a threshold to partner with others in resourceful and creative ways to support them, to safely and bravely step into the unknown.

To perceive this unique moment in time as an opportunity for growth, shape-shifting, and change – by empowering and equipping them to cautiously abandon and exit their comfort zones and get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Because the patterned worlds of our “business as usual” existences, which traditionally kept us get comfortable and calm, and helped us stay emotionally and mentally even, free from anxiety and worry to a great degree, are no longer certain, predictable or stable.

Where constant and accelerating change, coupled with uncertainty are the harsh realities of today, and of tomorrow, in the decade emerging as one of both disruption and transformation.

Impact of our neurological survival mechanisms

As humans, we have an internal need for consistency, represented by our internally mapped, largely unconscious, neurological comfort zones, our own unique places for getting comfortable, and amenable to what we habitually do. When we experience cognitive dissonance, in an extremely uncertain and disruptive operating environment, we unconsciously encounter apparent inconsistencies between what is really happening and what we believe to be really true.

As result, we often, mostly unconsciously, slip into our auto-pilot range of varied aggressive and passive defensive, reactive responses: including avoidance, denial, anger, opposition, and resistance to change. Often described as the “retreat, freeze, or take flight or fight” reactions to what is “seemingly” going on. This is because we distort and generalize our thoughts or feelings into believing that have no control over events. Which is a normal and natural neurological, yet primitive, survival mechanism that enables us to cope with the situation.

However, when we operate this way, we lose our personal power and question our abilities to shape and manifest the outcomes we want, or feel we lack the ability to influence others or constructively impact our environments.

Resistance is futile

Manifesting as feelings of discomfort, most of us will do anything to move away from – because we want to avoid pervasive, visceral, challenging thoughts and feelings, derived from our conflicting beliefs and values.  Our auto-responses or neurological urges to remove the discomfort, and typically keep us in our comfort zones, where we procrastinate, make excuses, shift into denial, avoidance, and justification, resulting ultimately, in immobilisation and inaction.

The outcome is that we may feel paralysed, and become inert, inhibiting and preventing us from developing the mindsets, behaviours, and actions required to thrive in the future. Where our only “new normal” will depend on our abilities to flow with constant change, unpredictability, instability, and uncertainty and get comfortable with being uncomfortable.

Hidden costs of resistance

Resistance to change prevents us from:

  • Adapting to the current and future environment is not the survival of the fittest, it’s he or she who is the most adaptive, who ultimately survives, and thrives!
  • Exploiting this moment in time as an opportunity and threshold to improve our confidence, competence, and emotional capacity to effectively transition through the range of professional and personal crises, brought on by uncertainty and disruption.
  • Exploring possibilities and unleashing opportunities available in this moment in time as a turning point to learn and grow, as a coach, leader, or team.
  • Strategizing in the new global, hybrid, and virtual work environment to improve, competitiveness, productivity, and innovation grow our practices and help our members expand their roles, and grow their teams and businesses.
  • Breaking down silos that add to many of our member’s current states of disconnection and loneliness, and inhibit connection and collaboration.
  • Creating permission, tolerance, and safety for members to safely download and let go of their fears and anxieties, share their negativity and pessimism, fears of failure,  and co-create positivity and optimism towards thriving in an uncertain future, together.
  • Embracing the new world of digitisation and experimentation, from implementing change, enhancing individual and organisational agility, and developing the mindsets, behaviours, and skills to be comfortable in constantly changing contexts.

What can we do about it?

  • Being agile and adaptive

In normal times, creating a comfort zone is a healthy adaptation for controlling much of our lives. Yet having the boldness, bravery, and courage in extreme uncertainty, to step up and out of our comfort zones helps us be agile and adaptive in transitioning, growing, and transforming through the enormous challenges, disruptions, and adversities many of us are confronting.

  • Entering the learning zone

In fact, once we do take the first baby steps out of our comfort zones and into our fear zone (fear of loss, blame, shame, envy, punishment, retribution, opposition, being controlled, humiliation, being envied or made wrong) we can safely enter the learning zone. Being in the Learning Zone is the first stopping point toward generating creative energy and expanding our comfort zones.

  • Facing the fear

Doing this builds the foundations for being more comfortable with being uncomfortable by facing, feeling, acknowledging, and letting go of some of our deepest fears by dealing with them rationally and realistically, with empathy and compassion, and without bias and distortion.

  • Reducing our levels of anxiety

By withdrawing, discerning, and deciding to let go of the need to be constantly in charge and in control and be willing to enter the Growth Zone, where everything that happens is a resource for being tolerant, and accepting, of the possibilities for making positive change.

Stepping into being comfortable

This is a great opportunity to co-create a new playbook for ourselves, our people, and their teams by enabling and empowering the mindset shift to the Growth Zone, to transform cognitive dissonance, and use it as the creative tensions toward being comfortable with being uncomfortable.

This involves engaging in a set of consistent and regular practices, to build and support a willingness to embrace change, disruption, and uncertainty, to take on even the impossible.

  1. Hit your Pause Button: retreat from activity, get grounded in stillness and silence, and be fully present to your energetic state. Be mindful and pay deep attention to recognise your patterns, attune to what is really going on, and get unhooked from any internal chatter, stories, and unconscious default patterns.
  2. Label Your Thoughts and Emotions: be fully present and get connected to yourself and to others you are interacting with, feel the feeling, knowing that it is transient.
  3. Acknowledge and Accept: allow yourself to accept and embrace the range of feelings, be empathic, compassionate, and open-hearted with yourself and with others.
  4. Detach from and Observe your Thoughts and Emotions: be willing to create and sustain an open mind, be inquisitive and curious, explore the non-judgemental space between your feelings and how to effectively respond to them.
  5. Identify difficult feelings: as you experience them and find more appropriate ways of responding instead of reacting, be willing to become a “detached observer”.
  6. Be emotionally agile: learn to see yourself as the operating system, filled with possibilities, knowing that you are more than one part of it and flow with it
  7. Be courageous and brave: challenge the status quo, and your habitual thinking, feeling, and decision-making habits and build your confidence to reboot, consistently disrupt yourself and be comfortable with being uncomfortable.
  8. Be imaginative and creative: reimagine your most desirable future state, be optimistic and positive about choosing the best ways to reset, and walk your way forward into the unknown.

Focusing your attention and being intentional

Being comfortable with being uncomfortable, enables us to re-think creates openings and thresholds for developing 21st-century superpowers, limitless possibilities for change, growth, learning, and innovation.

By empowering us to respond positively to uncertainty, and dynamic change that respects and engages people’s values and humanity, in co-creative and innovative ways that improve the quality of people’s lives in ways they value, appreciate, and cherish.

An opportunity to learn more

Find out about our learning products and tools, including The Coach for Innovators Certified Program, a collaborative, intimate, and deep personalized innovation coaching and learning program, supported by a global group of peers over 9-weeks, starting Tuesday, May 4, 2022.

It is a blended and transformational change and learning program that will give you a deep understanding of the language, principles, and applications of an ecosystem focus,  human-centric approach, and emergent structure (Theory U) to innovation, and upskill people and teams and develop their future fitness, within your unique context.

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How to Balance a Culture of Conformity with Creativity in Medicine

How to Balance a Culture of Conformity with Creativity in Medicine

GUEST POST from Arlen Meyers, M.D.

Medicine, by its nature, is a culture of conformity. We are trained to do no harm, be risk averse, and conform to the standard of care. We follow “best practices” i.e. what everyone else is doing, and are encouraged to follow evidence based guidelines. Medical students are chosen by their ability to score highly on standardized tests and check off the requisite boxes in their application. They know what to say in interviews…over and over again. Physicians have to pass standardized tests to get a license and be board certified to practice and maintain certification.

Now that medicine has become corporatized and more and more doctors in grey flannel suits are working for the man, things have worsened.

Successful innovation and entrepreneurship, on the other hand, encourages a culture of creativity. Now that students, trainees and clinicians are getting more and more interested in physician entrepreneurship and the business of medicine, how do we encourage and balance the two cultures?

  1. Encourage cognitive diversity, not just demographic diversity, in decision making
  2. Don’t penalize failure. Showcase it instead.
  3. Create ambidextrous organizational departments and units that can plan for not just the now, but the next and new as well.
  4. Use evidence based techniques for ideation and creative problem solving. Here are 3 to get you started.
  5. Recruit, hire, develop and promote for creativity
  6. Create psychologically safe spaces to say things
  7. Forget brainstorming
  8. Hire leaderpreneurs who can drive cultural change
  9. Know the difference between good rebels and bad rebels
  10. Don’t confuse disruptive doctors with disruptive doctors
  11. Learn to resolve the conflict between the ethics of medicine and the ethics of business

Sometimes thinking outside of the box will get you in trouble. Other times, not doing so will box you in. You decide.

Image credit: Pixabay

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Impact of Cultural Differences on Innovation

Innovation and Impact of Cultural Differences

GUEST POST from Jesse Nieminen

The effects of cultural differences for innovation are an interesting and extremely multifaceted topic.

For most of us, it probably goes without saying that cross-cultural and multicultural capabilities are crucial in today’s globalized and hyperconnected world, and innovation is no exception. These capabilities are especially important if you’re working on it in a large international organization, as many of our customers are.

Such an organization must obviously think about how to adapt new innovative products and services to the cultures and unique characteristics of different markets and regions. But, in addition to that, they also need to manage the cultural differences within their organization while trying to innovate. Given that we have customers all over the world, it’s a theme we often get asked about.

And, of course, there’s also the age-old debate about the cultures of certain regions or countries being better suited to innovation to begin with.

So, in this today’s article, we’ll dive deeper on this nuanced topic and each of those three themes around cultural differences in innovation. We’ll also end by providing you with practical advice on how to look at and take these into account in your innovation work.

How can cultural differences be observed?

However, before we dive deeper, let’s first take a step back and consider the question of how to observe cultural differences in the first place.

I’m sure we all agree that there are significant cultural and behavioral differences between people coming from different backgrounds, be it based on geographical, ethnic, religious, or just the past corporate cultures people have been a part of.

As these differences are often hard to pin down, people usually have an innate urge to try to group people into specific buckets to make sense of those differences. There are significant challenges in doing that as it can lead to putting people into predefined boxes and reinforcing stereotypes, and then treating people based on those stereotypes instead of the individuals they really are. That is why these kinds of approaches shouldn’t be considered universal truths or used as recipes for making decisions even from a purely pragmatic point-of-view, let alone from an ethical one.

Still, with that major caveat, there are also benefits in using such frameworks since they can help us make sense of the world in a more structured way. They can help everyone get a better understanding of the big picture and can serve as a starting point for creating a shared understanding, as well as debating the practical implications of cultural differences.

There are many such methods available, but the general approach is always the same: to break a culture down into several behavioral and/or value-based dimensions ranging from one extreme to another, and then rating each culture on each of these dimensions to form an overview of their respective cultures.

The most popular and widely researched of these are probably the GLOBE project, and the Hofstede cultural dimensions model, but there are also other popular ones like the Culture Map. Each of these frameworks uses the above described approach, and most of the research on them is primarily focused on the differences between individual nations. Having said that, the same approaches have also been applied to other levels, such as gender, organizational, etc. often just with slightly different dimensions.

Next, we’ll briefly explain the Hofstede cultural dimensions model because it’s one of the earliest, and by far the most popular model in the field. If you’re already familiar with the model, you can skip the next paragraph and jump right into the takeaways.

Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions

Geert Hofstede worked at IBM back in the 60’s when it was one of the first true global, multinational corporations. As part of his work on improving cross-cultural communication, he ran the same survey on values for more than 100,000 employees from different countries and analyzed the differences, which then led to the creation of his model some years later.

Initially the model consisted of four dimensions, but upon additional research, has since been expanded to six. I’ll briefly explain each of these next, and then share a few examples to illustrate how that works.

Power Distance Index (PDI) determines how equally power is distributed and how hierarchical a society is. High scores indicate a structured and hierarchical society, whereas low values indicate a more distributed power structure and willingness to question authority.

Individualism vs. Collectivism (IDV) looks at how heavily individuals are integrated into groups. This is mostly self-explanatory, but it’s worthy pointing out that collectivist cultures are highly loyal to the close-knit groups they belong to.

Uncertainty Avoidance (UAI) determines how much ambiguity and uncertainty a society is comfortable with. High scores indicate that a society values clear, often strict, rules and guidelines and believes in there being a “singular truth”. Low scores mean that a society is more willing to explore new ideas and divergent thoughts and is less structured overall.

Masculinity vs. Femininity (MAS) is of a dimension that’s subject to some controversy, but here refers to values associated with traditional gender roles. A masculine society values achievement, assertiveness, and material rewards for success, whereas a more feminine one values cooperation, modesty, care, and quality of life.

Long-term orientation vs. Short-term orientation (LTO) is pretty self-evident. Long-term oriented societies tend to think more about the future and view adaptation and pragmatic problem-solving as important, whereas more short-term oriented one tends to value traditions and the current state and be less willing to change.

Indulgence vs. Restraint (IND) in turn refers to how much a society indulges and encourages freedom for individuals to “just have fun and enjoy life”. More restrained societies tend to have stricter social norms regarding such behavior as they see these indulgences as counter-beneficial for bigger, longer-term ambitions.

There’s been some research on how these tendencies affect innovation, and as you can probably guess, some tend to be more favorable for high innovation performance than others. Which brings us to the big question: are some cultures intrinsically better at innovation than others?

Are some cultures better than others at innovation?

Well, in short, the answer is yes. At least to some extent. As mentioned, there’s research that shows a relatively strong correlation between certain cultural characteristics and innovation performance.

However, here it’s worth pointing out that almost all of the research done on the topic would seem to focus on country level data as that is widely and freely available thanks to studies like the Global Innovation Index (GII).

While certainly useful, we should take these findings with a grain of salt due to a number of factors, such as the studies again being high-level generalizations based on correlations, and the indices like GII being predominantly focused on inputs for innovation such as education and R&D spending. Even the output focused parts tend to be a bit biased towards activity metrics, such as number research papers and patents, instead of the real value and economic impact of innovation.

What’s more, I think it’s important to point out that most natural cultures evolve much slower than the GII rankings change, so it should be quite evident that there are also many other factors than culture that affect these scores.

But with that out of the way, let’s now look at the actual findings.

Characteristics of top innovation cultures

Based on the available studies, there would seem to be a pretty good consensus on the ideal innovation cultures having the following characteristics on the Hofstede model, in rough order of importance:

  • Low power-distance
  • High levels of long-term orientation and pragmatism
  • High levels of individualism
  • High levels of indulgence
  • Low levels of uncertainty avoidance
  • Lower levels of masculinity

These findings are obviously mostly in line with what most of us think of as a pro-innovation culture, so there aren’t really that many surprises here.

If people can question authority, are comfortable with ambiguous and uncertain environments, and can think about the long-term instead of just the next quarterly results, innovation is a lot more likely to happen.

While there’s more to innovation performance than culture, certain characteristics are likely to lead to a culture being better at innovation.

In most studies, the level of masculinity seemed to make the least amount of difference of any of the variables for innovation performance. Some studies found no correlation, but some did find a preference for a feminine, more collaborative culture instead of the more competitive and assertive, masculine one.

However, in my opinion, the most interesting findings are that high levels of individualism and indulgence are favorable for innovation, when intuitively we might think that a culture that is more collaborative and favors restraint and delayed gratification would be preferable.

This can be explained with the way that the Hofstede dimensions are constructed.

A more collaborative culture is one where certain in-groups, typically your own family, come first, and where loyalty and obedience are absolute values. So, collaboration according to the Hofstede model isn’t so much for the “greater good”, but more about the benefit of that specific “inner circle” ahead of your own interests. More individualist societies, on the other hand, tend to be more comfortable disagreeing, exploring, and “letting the best ideas win”, which is what likely led to these cultures over-performing.

A similar explanation also applies for the preference for indulgence. According to the authors of the study linked above, people in indulgent cultures have a greater drive for improving things and making life more enjoyable, and are generally more optimistic, which they viewed as the primary factors driving innovation here, perhaps alongside a general willingness to just try new things.

So, in that context, I do think the findings make sense, but I think it’s also a good example of some of the challenges associated with more nuanced sides of these cultural frameworks.

Takeaways from country level innovation performance

Looking at the GII study, and the mapping of the top countries from that to the Hofstede model, there are a couple of points worth noting out.

Viima Hofsted Insights GII study of cultural dimensions

First, the top countries in the GII are pretty much what most people would probably expect. The top 15 consists primarily of the US, the Nordics, as well as some Western European and East Asian countries.

However, the interesting part is that when we map these out to the Hofstede model, it’s immediately obvious that even the top performing countries are essentially all over the spectrum. Once we look a bit closer, it’s also evident that no individual country has the perfect innovation culture, as defined above.

To elaborate further, I think there are a few key takeaways from all of this:

  1. There’s more than just one way to be a great innovator
  2. While there are a few distinct types of cultures that generally do better, every culture has its own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to innovation
  3. You can improve your odds of succeeding at innovation by quite a bit if you recognize the biases of your culture that are likely holding you back

Top performing organizations should thus take these biases and cultural differences into account, and purposefully shape an organizational culture that is distinct from the average of any individual country and instead designed to drive more innovation. Here, diversity can be a real asset, but that’s another massive topic on its own.

Every culture has its own strengths and weaknesses when it comes to innovation. You can improve your odds of succeeding at it by recognising the biases that are holding yours back.

Having said that, there’s quite a bit more to creating this kind of an innovation culture than just what the Hofstede model captures, and we’ve written about that in detail in this earlier article.

However, one aspect that I’d like to highlight here is that innovation is requires a strong combination of both exploration and execution, so your culture should have a good mix of capabilities in both extremes.

If you’d like to start shaping your culture in practice, you can download our free Innovation Culture Toolkit for actionable tools that can help you do just that.

With that said, let’s now move on to the more practical implications of cultural differences for innovation work.

Multi and cross-cultural innovation capabilities

Let’s start from the first and most obvious challenge innovators in a globalized world face: how can their products and services, as well as sales and marketing efforts be relevant when doing international business, especially in different, highly culturally diverse regions?

In certain situations, and for certain products, it can be completely fine to just do minor localizations like translations, and primarily use the same channels, models, and messaging across the world. This will keep things much simpler and there are situations where these benefits can outweigh the costs for both your customers and your business. For example, this is the route we’ve so far decided to take with Viima.

Having said that, if you don’t adapt your offering and operations to different cultural and market preferences, you often can’t reach your full potential. In some situations, it might even take a completely different approach to reach the same goal in different cultures.

P&G is these days often cited as an example of a multinational company that has been able to successfully grow in emerging markets, but one of the lessons they learned the hard way was that just operating with the same products and models as they did back home wouldn’t work.

For example, according to ex-CEO Lafley, when P&G decided to focus on the baby-care market in Asia, the initial approach was to just cut away material from the diapers sold in Western markets. The problem was that to get to a cost-level that was acceptable, they had to cut out so much that the products no longer worked as intended. Once they went back to the drawing board and created an entirely new product with a completely different design focused primarily on costs instead of the latest technology, they succeeded in creating an attractive product and eventually became the market leader in China.

Pampers Cultural Tailoring

However, in most cases, either extreme isn’t the way to go. You need to look for a solution that allows you to build on your strengths, but still cater to the different cultural preferences of those whom you choose to serve – and usually that isn’t everyone.

Of course, for most of us who are innovators, that isn’t really that different from what we do anyway: we know that whatever great ideas we have, many will never survive first contact with the real world.

Cultural differences and local preferences of different markets are just another variable that we’ll need to take into account in our innovation work. Still, if you’re aiming for international business, it is a topic that you’d be wise to consider during your development process as it can save you a lot of trouble down the road.

Now, if you already have team members that are intimately familiar with these different cultures, it’s just common sense that the whole process is likely to be quite a bit smoother. And the evidence backs it up: this is one of the reasons for diversity being an asset for innovation.

But with that, let’s finally cover the practical considerations of what all of the above means for our organization before we wrap up.

Managing cultural differences within the organization

This is of course another massive topic, so we’ll keep things focused and will seek to provide you with the three key principles we’ve generally found to work well for getting great innovation outcomes in an international, multicultural organization in our work with such organizations.

While many of these are quite practical, depending on your role, you might not be able to put all of them into practice right away. Still, I’d recommend thinking about ways you can apply the same core ideas within the scope of your innovation work.

Cultural Differences for Innovation

Communicate about cultural biases and expectations openly

To illustrate this, I’ll share a story from No Rules Rules, which is a great book that I’d warmly recommend if you’ve made it this far into the post.

Before Netflix expanded internationally, it had a somewhat stereotypical US style task-oriented culture. It was quite common for employees to have lunch while working on their computers. However, as they expanded to Brazil, it quickly became obvious that this was a bit of a problem as, in general, Brazilians really value the relationships built over shared meals. As a result, early employees didn’t exactly feel welcome.

After some time, this came up in discussions, and while it was a trivial thing to fix, it still made a huge impact on morale. And not only did that help them adapt to local habits, but the changes also enriched the culture of the organization globally.

Netflix is known for its company culture

So, the takeaway here is that it’s important to pay attention to cultural differences and discuss them openly. Usually, the issues are easy enough to fix, but when they aren’t discussed, you easily miss them, and that’s what leads to many challenges down the road. The reality is that most people won’t be familiar with everyone else’s culture by default and expecting that to be the case just isn’t realistic.

Have core values and some norms, be flexible on the rest

Each organization’s culture is a result of its background. A sum of its parts, if you will. Be it the nationality of the company, past strategic and hiring decisions, and even simple practices and ways of working that have stuck around for one reason or another.

A few of these factors are core for the identity and competitiveness of the organization, and it’s these core values that you should hold on to. However, most of these factors are simple habits that are inconsequential in the grand scheme of things.

Making the difference between the two is key.

The core values and norms are something you simply need to succeed as an organization, and those you simply can’t compromise on. New employees, whatever their background or experience, do need to adhere to these few essentials. And for that to happen, you need to train them on these values and principles and tell why that is so important for your organization.

You should be adamant about upholding your core values, but be flexible and willing to give up or change the more inconsequential parts of your culture so that it can evolve and improve

On the other hand, the rest of inconsequential norms and habits you should be willing to give up or change when needed so that everyone can feel welcome and be the best version of themselves. Everybody doesn’t have to be a carbon copy of one another.

But there’s more to it than just that. The right changes can, in fact, make your culture better. This is essentially what “hire for culture add, not culture fit” means in practice.

Let’s again use the Netflix lunch example. Was it crucial for the company to have employees to eat at their desks? Of course not. It was just an inconsequential habit. However, it was vital to have the new Brazilian employees feel welcome, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but also because it improved the company’s performance. Plus, introducing this conscious habit globally helped have a positive impact elsewhere too!

Shared Lunch Brazil

The same can be applied even within the scope of your innovation work. For example, if you’re working on a new medical device, quality and safety are much more important than absolute speed to market. On the other hand, for a consumer web app, it’s probably the other way around. The exact values mentioned here aren’t important, it’s that they should support your strategy and innovation capabilities.

Figure out what the true core values and norms are for your innovation efforts, and make sure to reinforce these – and then be flexible on the rest.

Push decision-making down whenever possible

We’re a strong advocate for decentralized innovation. I won’t recap the whole topic here, but in a nutshell, it’s people who are closest to the market and the real work that often come up with the best ideas. Also, a decentralized approach allows you to dramatically scale your innovation work, which is key for long-term results.

While we’d argue that this is usually the preferable approach, it’s even more important when you’re operating in a multicultural and international environment, as we pointed out earlier.

Not only is this likely to lead to better decisions, but it’s guaranteed to improve the accountability and motivation of the employees making those decisions, which will lead to better results.

This is a key characteristics of the Netflix culture, and CEO Hastings prides himself in doing as few decisions as possible. And, at large, it’s seemed to work really well for them.

However, a market where they are struggling is India. And, at least on the surface, it looks like the problem has been that they’ve tried to adapt the same success formula to India as most other markets: using local top talent to produce new hit TV shows. The problem is that apparently Indians value sports and movies much more than they do TV shows, which has led to competitors focused on those areas dominating the market and a big commercial disappointment for Netflix. From the outside, it’s hard to say if they didn’t really live up to their values here, or if the mistake happened regardless of that. Still, I’m sure there were people on the ground in India that knew of these cultural preferences beforehand.

India Cricket

In practical terms, there are naturally some opportunities and capabilities that make sense to work on centrally, but in an international organization there are also plenty that would be best tackled by empowering people further down the organization to make decisions that best drive the key interests of the organization.

For example, some of our customers have launched big international innovation campaigns or other initiatives and struggled. They might find it difficult to engage people in the field because the centralized effort just doesn’t feel relevant for many of these people, or they might not be able to implement enough good ideas with that same centralized approach.

While there are others that have succeeded in similar centralized efforts, our most successful and advanced customers have nearly without exception evolved the way they work to really embrace innovation at the scale of the organization at large.

…and make sure innovators have the support they need

However, for that decentralized approach to work, you need to guide and support the people innovating across the organization. This is of course not specific to just an environment where there are cultural differences, but for innovation in general.

You likely have plenty of smart and capable people working for you who’d be more than capable of driving innovation, but if they don’t have the right resources, tools, and mindset, they might struggle.

So, in practice, you should:

  • share strategic priorities, and make sure people continue to work towards those
  • provide tools and resources that help people with the innovation process
  • communicate and oversee the above-mentioned core cultural values and norms of the organization
  • help people with challenges in being heard, understood, or taken seriously by others
  • help facilitate discussions and share innovation best practices between different parts of the organization

Often, the most convenient way to accomplish the above goals is to make these efforts a priority of your centralized innovation team, instead of having that small team try to drive innovation themselves.

The right approach and specific methods, tools, and frameworks obviously depend on the situation, but the point is that with the right support, you’ll find that people will often surprise you with the innovations that they’re able to create. The key to success with this model is to proactively invest in improving capabilities and supporting innovators across the organization.

Anyway, with this kind of an approach, you can move from just trying to manage cultural differences, to embracing and using them to drive value for your organization.

Conclusion

The topic of cultural differences is such a complex and nuanced topic that  we’ve barely scratched the surface on here, even though this has been a pretty long article.

But to summarize, if ignored, cultural differences can become a big challenge for innovators. Yet, if embraced and properly managed, it can turn out to be a real advantage for you.

The first step is to understand that these differences exist in the first place, and that teams and people from different backgrounds are likely to have certain strengths, but also certain weaknesses, when it comes to innovation.

Then, reflect on what the ideal culture for innovation looks like in your specific business, and discuss these differences openly with your team.

And finally, try to approach the whole process systematically, with the help of tools like our Innovation Culture Scorecard, one by one addressing challenges that are holding your team back from reaching its true innovation potential.

As mentioned, when embraced and properly managed, cultural differences can turn out to be a real competitive advantage for an innovator.

This article was originally published in Viima’s blog.

Image credits: Viima, Pixabay, Unsplash, Pexels

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Building a Culture of Engagement and Empowerment

Building a Culture of Engagement and Empowerment

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In today’s rapidly evolving world, organizations face unprecedented challenges that require innovative thinking, resilience, and adaptability. The pathway to thriving in such environments often lies in the deeply intertwined culture of engagement and empowerment. These two pillars are critical in unleashing the potential of individuals and driving organizations toward success. A culture of engagement and empowerment ensures that employees are not only motivated and committed but also have the autonomy and resources to bring their best ideas to life.

Understanding Engagement and Empowerment

Engagement is the emotional commitment an employee has towards the organization and its goals. A highly engaged workforce is enthusiastic about their work, actively involved, and willing to go the extra mile. Empowerment, on the other hand, is about providing employees with the authority, tools, and resources they need to make decisions and take actions that impact their work and the organization. When blended seamlessly, these elements cultivate an environment where innovation flourishes and employees feel valued and confident.

Core Principles for Cultivating Engagement and Empowerment

1. Transparent Communication

Open and transparent communication is the foundation of engagement. When employees are informed and included in decision-making processes, they feel valued and more connected to the organization’s mission. Regular updates, open-door policies, and feedback loops can create a culture where communication flows freely and openly.

2. Recognition and Reward

Recognizing and rewarding employees for their contributions is essential in building a culture of engagement. Reward systems should be aligned with the organization’s goals and reflect fair and transparent criteria. Both formal recognition programs and day-to-day acknowledgements play a crucial role in maintaining high morale and motivation.

3. Ownership and Responsibility

Empowerment is synonymous with ownership. Encourage employees to take responsibility for their work and outcomes by providing them with the autonomy to make decisions. This can be facilitated by establishing clear goals, expectations, and boundaries, while allowing employee creativity and initiative to guide their execution strategies.

Case Studies

Case Study 1: Google – Harnessing Employee Innovation

Google has long been heralded as a model of innovation, in large part due to its culture of engagement and empowerment. Their approach, known as “Innovation Time Off,” permits engineers to spend 20% of their time working on projects of their choosing. This policy empowers employees to explore new ideas, develop personal projects, and create innovations that benefit both them and the company.

Products such as Gmail and Google News were born from this initiative, exemplifying how empowerment can lead to significant innovations. Additionally, Google fosters an inclusive culture through regular “TGIF” meetings, where leadership openly shares company information and solicits employee feedback, thus ensuring ongoing engagement and transparency.

Case Study 2: Zappos – Commitment to Employee Autonomy

Zappos, renowned for its customer service, also leads in fostering a culture of engagement and empowerment. The company’s core values are centered around delivering “WOW” experiences and embracing and driving change, which is facilitated by empowering employees to make decisions.

A shining example of Zappos’ commitment to empowerment is their decision to adopt “Holacracy,” a system of organizational governance where traditional hierarchies are replaced with self-governing teams. Employees at Zappos are encouraged to take initiative and lead projects, with resources and support readily available. This structure not only ensures engagement but also allows employees to maximally contribute to the company’s growth and success.

Practical Steps to Build a Culture of Engagement and Empowerment

1. Craft a Shared Vision and Purpose

A collective purpose promotes buy-in and unity. Involve employees in the creation of a shared vision by engaging them in meaningful dialogues about the company’s future. This fosters ownership and clarifies how each individual’s work contributes to organizational success.

2. Develop Leaders as Coaches

Leadership plays a crucial role in promoting engagement and empowerment. Transition managers into coaches, focusing on mentorship rather than micromanagement. Leaders should facilitate development, provide constructive feedback, and support problem-solving efforts.

3. Create a Safe Environment for Experimentation

Empower employees to innovate by creating a safe space where they can experiment without fear of failure. Encourage trial-and-error processes, and celebrate learning from mistakes as a growth opportunity. This acceptance of risk ultimately fuels innovation and engagement.

Conclusion

A committed focus on building a culture of engagement and empowerment is not just beneficial but essential for organizations aiming to lead and innovate in their fields. By nurturing environments that prioritize transparent communication, recognition, ownership, and continuous support, organizations can unlock the full potential of their workforce. As seen with industry leaders like Google and Zappos, a robust culture of engagement and empowerment paves the way for sustained innovation, competitive advantage, and long-term success.

Extra Extra: Futurology is not fortune telling. Futurists use a scientific approach to create their deliverables, but a methodology and tools like those in FutureHacking™ can empower anyone to engage in futurology themselves.

Image credit: Pexels

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Fueling a Culture of Innovation with Diversity and Inclusion

Fueling a Culture of Innovation with Diversity and Inclusion

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, the capacity for innovation stands as a critical differentiator among leading organizations. At the heart of fostering this innovation is the commitment to diversity and inclusion (D&I). The melding of varied perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences not only drives creative outcomes but also builds resilient, adaptive business enterprises. As thought leaders at the helm, we must champion a culture where diversity and inclusion are not mere policies but key drivers of innovation.

The Power of Diverse Perspectives

Diverse teams bring a wealth of perspectives that ignite creativity and challenge entrenched assumptions. A study by Boston Consulting Group found that diverse management teams lead to a 19% increase in revenue due to innovation. When individuals from different cultural, gender, and generational backgrounds convene, they contribute unique viewpoints that enhance problem-solving capabilities and stimulate breakthrough innovations. The convergence of these perspectives facilitates more rounded and comprehensive decision-making processes, which can yield novel products and services.

Case Study 1: Global Tech Innovators

Consider the case of a leading global technology firm that set out to invigorate its product development process. By championing a diverse workforce, the firm curated project teams inclusive of members from varied cultural backgrounds, educational disciplines, and genders. This not only mirrored their diverse customer base but also fueled unprecedented growth in innovation-led initiatives.

One notable success involved a team working on a next-generation wearable technology. By leveraging insights from team members in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, who understood the regional health and wellness nuances, the team developed features that resonated globally, driving product adoption in markets previously untapped. This was achieved through a continuous dialogue fostering an inclusive atmosphere where all team members felt empowered to voice their ideas without fear of dismissal or ridicule.

Fostering an Inclusive Culture

Building a truly inclusive culture involves more than just assembling a diverse team. It entails creating an environment where all employees feel valued and heard, and where contributions are recognized and rewarded. Organizations should implement training programs that underscore the importance of inclusivity, where leaders are equipped to nurture and mentor diverse talent.

“An inclusive culture is one where every employee can bring their full selves to work and contribute towards the innovation journey.”—Anonymous

It’s crucial for leadership to model inclusive behaviors that permeate throughout the organizational culture. This can include forming employee resource groups that celebrate diversity or establishing forums for open dialogue and collaborative ideation sessions. The net result is a fertile environment ripe for innovation.

Case Study 2: Healthcare Innovators

The healthcare industry illustrates another compelling example where D&I powered innovation. A national healthcare provider faced the challenge of designing patient outreach programs that connected with a wide array of demographics. By integrating a diverse group of healthcare professionals, the provider was able to tailor communication strategies to suit different cultural norms and practices.

The diversity within the team ensured that the insights went beyond mere language translation, addressing deeper cultural contexts, and resulting in higher patient engagement and satisfaction rates. The innovative outreach models developed were expanded into full-scale implementations that fundamentally transformed patient-provider interactions across various communities.

Sustaining Innovation through Continuous Commitment

To sustain innovation, organizations must maintain a steadfast commitment to D&I. It is an ongoing journey requiring regular reflection and renewal of strategies. Metrics should be in place to measure the impact of D&I efforts on innovation outcomes, with goals evolving in response to the shifting dynamics of the workforce.

Success stories and best practices should be shared throughout the organization, highlighting how diversity and inclusion have propelled improvements and sparked new initiatives. This storytelling not only inspires but also reinforces the value of D&I as fundamental pillars of innovation.

Conclusion

Fostering a culture of innovation through diversity and inclusion is not optional in today’s competitive business world—it is imperative. The cases presented exemplify how embracing a broad set of voices leads to solutions that are not only innovative but also deeply resonant with a global demographic. As leaders, our role is to build and sustain environments where diversity and inclusion are integral to our organizational DNA, driving forward our vision for continuous innovation.

This article is designed to provide a thoughtful exploration of how diversity and inclusion fuel innovation, along with practical case studies to illustrate these principles. Let me know if there are any further changes or additions you’d like to make!

Extra Extra: Futurology is not fortune telling. Futurists use a scientific approach to create their deliverables, but a methodology and tools like those in FutureHacking™ can empower anyone to engage in futurology themselves.

Image credit: Pexels

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Creating a Culture of Experimentation with Innovative Leadership

Creating a Culture of Experimentation with Innovative Leadership

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In today’s rapidly changing business environment, fostering a culture that embraces experimentation is not just desirable—it’s essential. Innovative leadership plays a critical role in instilling this culture by encouraging teams to explore new ideas, learn from failures, and perpetually seek better solutions. This article delves into how leaders can cultivate such an environment, supported by real-world case studies that highlight successful implementations.

The Fundamentals of a Culture of Experimentation

A culture of experimentation thrives on curiosity, creativity, and a safe space for failing forward. Leaders can initiate this by:

  • Encouraging open-mindedness: Leaders should foster environments where team members feel free to express and explore novel ideas without the fear of failure or retribution.
  • Promoting risk-taking: Recognize and reward calculated risks, and view failures as learning opportunities rather than setbacks.
  • Providing resources and tools: Equip teams with the necessary resources, including time, tools, and skill development opportunities, to experiment and iterate effectively.

Case Studies

Case Study 1: Google’s ‘20% Time’

Google’s innovative ‘20% Time’ policy allows employees to dedicate 20% of their working hours to projects they are passionate about, outside of their regular responsibilities. This initiative has been instrumental in fostering a culture of experimentation and innovation at Google.

Through this program, several successful products, such as Gmail and Google News, were developed. The concept reinforces the importance of giving employees the autonomy to pursue their ideas, which can lead to breakthrough innovations that benefit the organization as a whole.

Case Study 2: Amazon’s ‘Fail Fast’ Philosophy

Amazon’s ‘Fail Fast’ philosophy is embedded deeply into its organizational culture, emphasizing the importance of quick experimentation and learning. Leaders at Amazon encourage teams to experiment rapidly and broadly, learn promptly, and move forward swiftly with the gained insights.

This approach has allowed Amazon to remain at the forefront of innovation, continually evolving and adapting to market demands. By supporting frequent small-scale testing and learning cycles, Amazon cultivates an environment where experimentation is integral to continuous improvement and long-term success.

Guiding Principles for Leaders

To effectively nurture a culture of experimentation, leaders must:

  • Lead by example: Demonstrate a willingness to take calculated risks and transparently share their learnings from both successes and failures.
  • Empower teams: Trust teams to make decisions about their experimental journeys, providing them with the guidance and autonomy needed to innovate.
  • Create psychological safety: Ensure that the workplace is a safe environment for sharing ideas, free of ridicule or punitive measures for failed experiments.

Conclusion

Creating a culture of experimentation requires innovative leadership that champions curiosity, supports risk-taking, and continuously fosters an open-minded approach to learning. Through strategic leadership and the implementation of proven practices, organizations can unlock new levels of innovation and remain agile in a constantly evolving market. As demonstrated by industry leaders like Google and Amazon, integrating a systematic approach to experimentation can not only drive successful outcomes but also create a thriving and resilient organizational culture.

Extra Extra: Futurology is not fortune telling. Futurists use a scientific approach to create their deliverables, but a methodology and tools like those in FutureHacking™ can empower anyone to engage in futurology themselves.

Image credit: Pixabay

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Cultivating a Risk-Taking Culture in Your Organization

Cultivating a Risk-Taking Culture in Your Organization

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In today’s rapidly evolving marketplace, organizations face the dual challenge of maintaining operational efficiency and fostering innovation. To stay ahead, many companies are finding that cultivating a risk-taking culture is essential. Embracing calculated risks can lead to breakthroughs, foster creativity, and fuel long-term success. This article explores how organizations can nurture an environment where risk-taking is encouraged, supported, and rewarded.

The Need for a Risk-Taking Culture

Organizations that prioritize safety and predictability may find themselves falling behind more agile competitors. A culture that embraces risk-taking opens the door to innovation and opportunity, allowing businesses to pivot quickly, respond to change, and seize new opportunities. However, building such a culture requires deliberate effort, strategic alignment, and a supportive environment.

Case Study 1: Netflix’s Decision to Stream

Netflix is a powerful example of a company that effectively adopted a risk-taking culture to propel its growth. In the early 2000s, Netflix made the strategic decision to shift from a DVD rental service to streaming digital content—a move that was incredibly risky considering the high costs and the nascent state of streaming technology at the time.

What set Netflix apart was its willingness to disrupt its own business model and invest in an uncertain future. Today, it stands as a giant in the entertainment industry. Netflix’s calculated risk-taking exemplifies the importance of envisioning future trends and aligning organizational resources and culture to pursue them, even when the path is uncertain.

Case Study 2: Amazon’s Launch of AWS

Amazon’s creation of Amazon Web Services (AWS) is another illustrative case. In the early 2000s, the idea of a retail company selling cloud computing services was unconventional, if not risky. Despite these challenges, Amazon ventured into this domain, identifying an unmet need for scalable, reliable, and affordable computing services.

Today, AWS is a major part of Amazon’s profit mix, illustrating how a willingness to take risks on seemingly unrelated business ventures can lead to new revenue streams and market dominance. Amazon’s leadership recognized the strategic potential of cloud services and was willing to allocate resources and support to see it through, a hallmark of a risk-taking culture.

Building a Risk-Taking Culture

Cultivating a risk-taking culture involves several strategic actions. Here are some steps organizations can take:

  • Create a safe environment: Encourage open communication and create a safe space where employees can express ideas without fear of rejection or punishment. Psychological safety is paramount.
  • Flat hierarchy and decentralized decision-making: Empowering employees at various levels to make decisions can speed up innovation and allow faster responses to challenges.
  • Celebrate failures and successes alike: Establish mechanisms to learn from failures and celebrate the courage to venture into the unknown.
  • Provide resources and support: Allocate time, budget, and mentorship to develop new ideas and test assumptions.

The Long-term Payoff of Risk-Taking

An organization’s capacity for risk-taking is a critical aspect of its innovativeness. As highlighted in both Google and 3M’s cases, fostering an environment that embraces risk enhances employee engagement and has direct correlations with business success. Organizations that prioritize nurturing risk-taking behaviors will likely discover a broader range of creative solutions and more sustainable growth trajectories.

Further Reading

If this article piqued your interest, I encourage you to explore these related articles here on the site:

Conclusion

Cultivating a risk-taking culture is not just a strategy—it’s an essential part of navigating today’s unpredictable business landscape. By prioritizing open-mindedness and experimentation, organizations can unlock the latent potential of their teams and foster innovations capable of driving growth and resilience. As you consider initiatives within your organization, remember that supporting calculated risks today can lead to the game-changing innovations of tomorrow.

Extra Extra: Futurology is not fortune telling. Futurists use a scientific approach to create their deliverables, but a methodology and tools like those in FutureHacking™ can empower anyone to engage in futurology themselves.

Image credit: Pixabay

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Invest Yourself in All That You Do

Invest Yourself in Everything You Do

GUEST POST from Douglas Ferguson

Diversity of thought and diversity of perspective is crucial to innovative solutions within teams. Building a work culture around diversity and inclusion is proven to provide performance rates that outshine the competition.

“If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn’t thinking.” — General George S. Patton Jr

The market environment that we find ourselves in is ever-changing, especially when we look at ideating and problem-solving in a remote or hybrid landscape. Being acutely aware that not only do you have a diverse workforce but that there are measures in place to promote psychological safety within that diverse pool of ideas and emotions will lead to a transformation from complex problem solving, into simple and often beautiful solutions. The critical fact here is that we must always be exploring ways to unleash everyone in order to promote true idea-sharing.

Matthew Reynolds, a dear friend, and peaceful warrior built a Diversity and Inclusion Consultancy inspired by finding a sense of belonging within the industry. By exploring how to shift the consciousness of humanity we begin to open the door to whom we think we are, we begin to discover our authentic self, and with that knowledge, we can shift our consciences to a more inclusive mindset. To hear more on Crafting Your Equity Lens, listen in on the Control the Room Podcast with Matthew.

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When we listen to ideas, like the one Matthew presents, and we take a moment to look inward, we begin to make important shifts within ourselves that have an outward effect. As John Coltrane says, “Invest yourself in everything you do. There is fun in being serious.” When you brake that down, and truly invest in shifting your perspective to one that embraces diversity and inclusion there is a natural shift into building a psychologically safe foundation for your community. When that is achieved, there is much and more fun to be had! Every voice being heard and appreciated means new ideas, and it means more effective problem-solving.

We hold diversity, equity, and inclusion very close here at Voltage Control as one of our core values and we invite you and your community to do the same.

Image credit: Pixabay, unknown

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