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Five Things Most Managers Don’t Know About Innovation

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Five Things Most Managers Don't Know About Innovation

GUEST POST from Greg Satell

Every business knows it needs to innovate. What isn’t so clear is how to go about it. There is no shortage of pundits, blogs and conferences that preach the gospel of agility, disruptive innovation, open innovation, lean startups or whatever else is currently in vogue. It can all be overwhelming.

The reality is that there is no one ‘true’ path to innovation. In researching my book, Mapping Innovation, I found that organizations of all shapes and sizes can be great innovators. Some are lean and nimble, while others are large and bureaucratic. Some have visionary leaders, others don’t. No one model prevails.

However, there are common principles that we can apply. While there is no “right way” to innovate, there are plenty of wrong ways. So perhaps the best way forward is to avoid the pitfalls that can undermine innovative efforts in your organization and kill promising new solutions. Here are five things every business should know about innovation.

1. Every Square-Peg Business Eventually Meets Its Round-Hole World

IBM is many peoples’ definition of a dinosaur. Not too long ago, it announced its 22nd consecutive quarter of declining revenues. Nevertheless, it seems to be turning a corner. What’s going on? How can a century-old technology company survive against the onslaught of the 21st century phenoms like Google, Amazon, Apple and Facebook?

The truth is that this is nothing new for IBM. Today, its business of providing installed solutions for large enterprises is collapsing due to the rise of the cloud. In the 90s it was near bankruptcy. In the 50s, its tabulating machine business was surpassed by digital technology. Each time eulogies are paraded around for Big Blue it seems to come back even stronger.

What IBM seems to understand better than just about anybody else is that every square-peg business eventually meets its round-hole world. Changes in technology, customer preferences and competitive environment eventually render every business model irrelevant. That’s just reality and there really is no changing it.

IBM’s secret weapon is its research division, which explores pathbreaking technologies long before they have a clear path to profitability. So when one business dies they have something to replace it with. Despite those 22 quarters of declining revenues it has a bright future with things like Watson, quantum computing and neuromorphic chips.

It’s better to prepare than adapt.

2. Innovation Isn’t About Ideas, It’s About Solving Problems

Probably the biggest misconception about innovation is that it’s about ideas. So there is tons of useless advice about brainstorming methods, standing meetings and word games, such as replacing “can’t” with “can if.” If these things help you work more productively, great, but they will not make you an innovator.

In my work, I speak to top executives, amazingly successful entrepreneurs and world class scientists. Some of these have discovered or created things that truly changed the world. Yet not once did anyone tell me that a brainstorming session or “productivity hack” set them on the road to success. They were simply trying to solve a problem that was meaningful to them.

What I do hear a lot from mid-level and junior executives is that they are not given “permission” to innovate and that nobody wants to hear about their ideas. That’s right. Nobody wants to hear about your ideas. People are busy with their own ideas.

So stop trying to come up with some earth shattering idea. Go out and find a good problem and start figuring out how to solve it. Nobody needs an idea, but everybody has a problem they need solved.

3. You Don’t Hire Or Buy Innovation, You Empower It

One of the questions I always get asked when I advise organizations is how to recruit and retain more innovative people. I know the type they have in mind. Someone fashionably dressed, probably with some tasteful piercings and some well placed ink, that spouts off a never-ending stream of ideas.

Yet that’s exactly what you don’t want. That’s exactly the type of unproductive hotshot that can stop innovation in its tracks. They talk over other people, which discourages new ideas from being voiced and their constant interruptions kill collaboration.

The way you create innovation is by empowering an innovative culture. That means creating a safe space for ideas, fostering networks inside and outside the organization, promoting collaboration and instilling a passion for solving problems. That’s how you promote creativity.

So if you feel that your people are not innovating, ask yourself what you’re doing to get in their way.

4. If Something Is Truly New And Different, You Need a “Hair On Fire” Use Case

As a general operational rule, you should seek out the largest addressable market you can find. Larger markets not only have more money, they are more stable and usually more diverse. Identifying even a small niche in a big market can make for a very profitable business.

Unfortunately, what thrives in operations can often fail for innovation. When you have an idea that’s truly new and different, you don’t want to start with a large addressable market. You want to find a hair-on-fire use case — somebody that needs a problem solved so badly that they either already have a budget for it or have scotched-taped together some half solution.

The reason you want to find a hair-on-fire use case is that when something is truly new and different, it is untested and poorly understood. But someone who needs a problem solved really badly will be willing to work with you to find flaws, fix them and improve your offer. From there you can begin to scale up and hunt larger game.

5. You Need To Seek Out A Grand Challenge

Most of the problems we deal with are relatively small. We cater to changing customer tastes, respond to competitive threats and fix things that are broken. Sometimes we go a bit further afield and enter a new market or develop a new capability. These are the bread and butter of a good business. That’s how you win in the marketplace.

Yet every business is ultimately disrupted. When that happens, normal operating practice will only make you better and better at things people care less and less about. You can’t build the future by looking to the past. You build the future by creating something that’s new and important, that solves problems that are currently unsolvable.

That’s why every organization needs to seek out grand challenges. These are long, sustainable efforts that solve a fundamental problem in your industry or field that change the realm of what’s considered possible. They are not “bet the company” initiatives and shouldn’t present a material risk to the business if they fail, but have a transformational impact if they succeed.

As I noted above, there is no one “true” path to innovation. Everybody needs to find their own way. Still, there are common principles and by applying them, every business can up their innovation game.

— Article courtesy of the Digital Tonto blog and previously appeared on Harvard Business Review
— Image credits: Pexels

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Top 10 Human-Centered Change & Innovation Articles of January 2024

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Top 10 Human-Centered Change & Innovation Articles of January 2024Drum roll please…

At the beginning of each month, we will profile the ten articles from the previous month that generated the most traffic to Human-Centered Change & Innovation. Did your favorite make the cut?

But enough delay, here are January’s ten most popular innovation posts:

  1. Top 40 Innovation Bloggers of 2023 — Curated by Braden Kelley
  2. Creating Organizational Agility — by Howard Tiersky
  3. 5 Simple Steps to Team Alignment — by David Burkus
  4. 5 Essential Customer Experience Tools to Master — by Braden Kelley
  5. Four Ways To Empower Change In Your Organization — by Greg Satell
  6. AI as an Innovation Tool – How to Work with a Deeply Flawed Genius! — by Pete Foley
  7. Top 100 Innovation and Transformation Articles of 2023 — Curated by Braden Kelley
  8. 80% of Psychological Safety Has Nothing to Do With Psychology — by Robyn Bolton
  9. How will you allocate your time differently in 2024? — by Mike Shipulski
  10. Leadership Development Fundamentals – Work Products — by Mike Shipulski

BONUS – Here are five more strong articles published in December that continue to resonate with people:

If you’re not familiar with Human-Centered Change & Innovation, we publish 4-7 new articles every week built around innovation and transformation insights from our roster of contributing authors and ad hoc submissions from community members. Get the articles right in your Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin feeds too!

Have something to contribute?

Human-Centered Change & Innovation is open to contributions from any and all innovation and transformation professionals out there (practitioners, professors, researchers, consultants, authors, etc.) who have valuable human-centered change and innovation insights to share with everyone for the greater good. If you’d like to contribute, please contact me.

P.S. Here are our Top 40 Innovation Bloggers lists from the last four years:

Subscribe to Human-Centered Change & Innovation WeeklySign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Top 10 Human-Centered Change & Innovation Articles of December 2023

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Top 10 Human-Centered Change & Innovation Articles of December 2023Drum roll please…

At the beginning of each month, we will profile the ten articles from the previous month that generated the most traffic to Human-Centered Change & Innovation. Did your favorite make the cut?

But enough delay, here are December’s ten most popular innovation posts:

  1. Five Key Digital Transformation Barriers — by Howard Tiersky
  2. Achieving a Transformation Vision for a Better Future — by Howard Tiersky
  3. Eight Innovation Executive Types — by Stefan Lindegaard
  4. Skills versus Judgement — by Mike Shipulski
  5. We Need to Stop Glorifying Failure — by Greg Satell
  6. What Will People See? — by Mike Shipulski
  7. Don’t Waste Your Time Talking to Customers — by Robyn Bolton
  8. The Amazing Efficiency of Systematic Guessing — by Dennis Stauffer
  9. Four Change Empowerment Myths — by Greg Satell
  10. Do the Right Thing — by Mike Shipulski

BONUS – Here are five more strong articles published in November that continue to resonate with people:

If you’re not familiar with Human-Centered Change & Innovation, we publish 4-7 new articles every week built around innovation and transformation insights from our roster of contributing authors and ad hoc submissions from community members. Get the articles right in your Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin feeds too!

Have something to contribute?

Human-Centered Change & Innovation is open to contributions from any and all innovation and transformation professionals out there (practitioners, professors, researchers, consultants, authors, etc.) who have valuable human-centered change and innovation insights to share with everyone for the greater good. If you’d like to contribute, please contact me.

P.S. Here are our Top 40 Innovation Bloggers lists from the last four years:

Subscribe to Human-Centered Change & Innovation WeeklySign up here to get Human-Centered Change & Innovation Weekly delivered to your inbox every week.

Four Ways To Empower Change In Your Organization

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Four Ways To Empower Change In Your Organization

GUEST POST from Greg Satell

In 1957, Ken Olsen founded Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) with his MIT classmate, Harlan Anderson, and by the 1960s, the company had pioneered the minicomputer revolution. Much cheaper than IBM mainframes, but still powerful enough to be useful, these machines helped make DEC one of the world’s leading technology companies.

Hailed as a visionary, Olson was named “America’s most successful entrepreneur” by Fortune magazine in 1986. Yet as AnnaLee Saxenian explained in Regional Advantage, by that time the minicomputer industry was already being disrupted by PC’s and DEC would never recover. It was acquired by Compaq in 1998.

The truth is that everybody gets disrupted eventually, even a visionary entrepreneur like Olsen. What makes the difference is whether you are able to chart a new path. That takes more than merely being smart and ambitious, you need to empower change from within. It’s never easy, but there are some basic principles that can help you reinvent your organization.

1.Identify A Keystone Change

Much like DEC in the 80s, by the 1990s IBM had hit hard times. Squeezed between low cost PC’s made by firms like Compaq, Intel based servers and a software industry dominated by Microsoft, IBM was near bankruptcy. Many observers, both inside and outside the company, thought that it should be broken up.

Yet its incoming CEO, Lou Gerstner, saw things differently. As a former customer, he knew how important IBM was to running critical business processes of large organizations. As he talked to other customers, he found they felt the same way. In fact, they were terrified of IBM being broken up. If he could refocus the company on fulfilling that need, he could save it.

That was easier said than done though. IBM had a hardwired culture of “if it was a good idea, we would have already done it” that had been ingrained over decades. So he needed to identify a keystone change — one that would be clear and tangible, involve multiple stakeholders and pave the way for future change — to make a transformation possible.

So Gerstner built a new business model aimed at the customers’ “stack of business processes” rather than its own “stack of proprietary technologies.” That led to a successful new service business, an e-business initiative and a new line of Linux based servers. Within a few years, he had achieved one of the greatest turnarounds in corporate history.

2. Empower Change Agents

Probably the greatest misconception about change is that a leader can force it through. Even as skilled an executive like Lou Gerstner needed others to actually implement the changes at IBM, his role was mostly to inspire belief that it could be done. The truth is that you can’t force change. You need need to attract rather than try to overpower.

As Zeynep Ton explains in The Good Jobs Strategy, when the recession hit in 2008, Mercadona, Spain’s leading discount retailer, needed to cut costs. But rather than cutting wages or reducing staff, they asked their employees to contribute ideas. The result was that the company managed to reduce prices by 10% and increased their market share from 15% to 20% between 2008 and 2012

Or consider England’s National Health Service, a truly mammoth organization of with 1.3 million employees serving 54 million citizens. In 2013 it introduced Change Day, on which employees pledge to do one thing to improve the life of patients. In that first year there were 189,000 pledges for action and that figure rose to 800,000 in the second year.

Many of the initiatives were small, but multiplied by hundreds of thousands, it has created a significant impact. As Helen Bevan, Chief Transformation Officer for the NHS Horizons team put it to me, “Programmatic methods have their place, but if you want to create change on a truly massive scale, a top-down approach on its own doesn’t work so well. You need to get people invested in change. They have to own it.”

3. Network Your Movement

When Rick Warren first arrived in Orange County, California in 1979, he saw the opportunity to build a new kind of church. He had spent three months going door-to-door and found that while many residents identified themselves as christians, they found church services boring and irrelevant. So he began to cater his services and programs to meet their needs.

Today, his Saddleback Church is one of the largest congregations in the world, with 20,000 people attending sermons every week. Yet looks can be deceiving. What makes Warren such a powerful force isn’t those massive weekend services, but the thousands of small prayer groups that that meet during the week.

We tend to think of effective leaders as solitary figures, able to compel action through sheer force of will, but actually they are shrewd managers of complex ecosystems and that’s key to how they are able to empower transformational change. Martin Luther King Jr., for example, didn’t lead the charge for civil rights alone, but as one of the Big Six. In much the same way, Nelson Mandela had to build consensus among many competing interests within the African National Congress.

Today IBM, having had its core business disrupted by the cloud, is taking a network approach to quantum computing. Rather than having its scientists work alone in secret labs, it has set up a Q Network of leading companies, startups, academic institutions, and national research labs to advance the technology.

4. Survive Victory

The most important thing to remember is that the battle against disruption never ends. All too often, an initial victory soon reverses itself. Many turnaround efforts see some initial improvement as excitement about a new direction motivates people to perform better, then dissipates as harsh realities take hold.

The case of Ken Olsen and DEC provides some insight into why this happens. While he was hailed as a visionary leader, the minicomputer revolution he spawned was rooted in a particular technology. When that technology ceased to be compelling, as always happens eventually, his company could no longer compete effectively.

Now consider what Irving Wladawsky-Berger, one of Gerster’s key lieutenants, told me about IBM’s historic turnaround. “The Gerstner revolution wasn’t about technology or strategy, it was about transforming our values and our culture to be in greater harmony with the market… Because the transformation was about values first and technology second, we were able to continue to embrace those values as the technology and marketplace continued to evolve.”

That’s why, as I explain in my book Cascades, it’s critical that you make a plan to survive victory and that plan must be rooted in fundamental values rather than in a particular strategy or set of tactics. To overcome disruption for the long-term, you need to not just transform the organization but, more importantly, the fundamental beliefs that drive it.

— Article courtesy of the Digital Tonto blog
— Image credit: Unsplash

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Breaking Rules to Delight Customers

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Breaking Rules to Delight Customers

GUEST POST from Shep Hyken

There is a massive benefit to empowering employees to “break the rules” for their customers. And what I mean by “breaking the rules” is to consider what you can do for a customer outside of the norm that doesn’t cost the company money, isn’t illegal or immoral, and won’t hurt “business as usual.” In reality, employees aren’t breaking any rules. They are finding ways to take care of the customer while not breaking the “rules” mentioned above.

One of the concepts I cover in my customer service keynote speech is the idea of the “line in the sand.” Many companies train their employees in what they can’t do for customers. They have “rules” that have little or no flexibility. While it’s essential for employees to be trained on what they shouldn’t do, it may be more important to train them on what they can do. By that, I mean how far employees are allowed to go before they have to say, “No.”

I call this The Line in the Sand concept. It is important to draw that line, which is the boundary that employees aren’t allowed to cross, but at the same time, teach them what they can do to get right up to the line.

For example, I have a client in the luxury automobile market. This client has a team that travels to auto dealerships to help dealers with demanding customers they can’t seem to please. Members of this team believe in the power of saying “Yes” instead of “No.” They have the authority to refund the entire price of the car, even if it’s 10 years old. That’s their line in the sand – their last resort. They can get right up to it but can’t go past it. And by the way, they have never made it to that last resort. They have always found other ways to make discontented customers happy without getting to that line.

The key is training, but it isn’t just imparted in one session to tell employees what to do – or not do. It’s about continuously sharing stories of what other employees are doing to meet customers’ needs and demands, all without crossing the line in the sand. When an employee does something right, congratulate them and share the example with others. And if they do something wrong, or in other words, if they cross the line, turn it into a learning opportunity that is also shared with others. Routinely sharing examples helps employees recognize their opportunities to delight their customers.

Some examples of “breaking the rules” might be honoring a warranty that expired a month ago – or stretching a 14-day return policy to the 15th or 16th day. Some retail organizations, like Nordstrom, have an easy, no-questions-asked return policy. Even though the employees at Nordstrom aren’t breaking the rules, the customer feels as if they are going above and beyond. That’s all this really is. Making customers feel like you are on their side, willing to be flexible and giving them reasons to say, “I’ll be back!”

Image Credit: Pixabay

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Accountability and Empowerment in Team Dynamics

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Accountability and Empowerment in Team Dynamics

GUEST POST from Stefan Lindegaard

A winning mindset is crucial for team leaders and teams striving to achieve their goals. Empowerment and accountability are two key elements that contribute to a mindset of success in team dynamics.

When team members feel empowered to make decisions and take the initiative, they are more engaged and motivated to excel.

Coupled with accountability, which ensures team members are responsible for their actions and outcomes, these two elements form a powerful mindset that can unlock your team’s full potential.

The Value of Empowerment and Accountability:

Empowerment fosters an environment where team members are encouraged to use their unique skills and expertise to contribute to the team’s success. This sense of autonomy can boost creativity and innovation, as team members feel they have the freedom and support to explore new ideas and take calculated risks.

Accountability, on the other hand, establishes a culture where team members are held responsible for their actions and the results they produce. When team members are accountable for their work, they are more likely to take ownership of their tasks and strive for high-quality outcomes. By embracing a mindset of empowerment and accountability, teams can achieve a synergistic effect that leads to improved performance, collaboration, and overall success.

Action Suggestions for Team Leaders and Teams:

# 1 – Set Clear Expectations: Ensure that team members understand their roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations. This clarity will help them feel more confident in taking ownership of their work and being accountable for their outcomes.

# 2 – Cultivate a Growth Mindset and Psychological Safety: Encourage team members to view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning while fostering an environment where they feel safe to take risks, express opinions, and ask for help. This combination will help them embrace empowerment and accountability as essential aspects of their development.

# 3 – Encourage Open Communication and Feedback: Create an environment where team members feel comfortable discussing their successes and challenges openly. Encourage them to give and receive constructive feedback, helping each other grow and improve.

# 4 – Celebrate Success and Learn from Mistakes: Acknowledge and reward team members for their contributions and achievements. At the same time, use setbacks as learning opportunities to reinforce the importance of taking ownership and being accountable for their work.

Your team’s success is a direct reflection of the mindset you cultivate within it. As a team leader or member, you have the power to ignite the potential of your team by embracing a growth mindset, psychological safety, empowerment, and accountability.

Now is the time to challenge the status quo, defy mediocrity, and strive for excellence. Make the conscious choice to create a team culture that dares to empower, holds each other accountable, and thrives in the face of adversity. The success of your team lies in your hands.

Are you ready to unleash it?

Image Credit: Pixabay

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Empowering Employees During Times of Change

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Empowering Employees During Times of Change

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

Change is inevitable in any organization, whether it’s the implementation of new technologies, restructuring, or evolving market dynamics. While change is necessary for growth and progress, it can often lead to uncertainty and resistance within the workforce. As a thought leader in human-centered change and innovation, I believe the key to successful transformation lies in empowering employees. This article explores the strategies and real-world examples of organizations that have successfully empowered their employees during times of change.

The Power of Employee Empowerment

Empowering employees essentially means giving them the tools, confidence, and autonomy to navigate change and contribute to organizational goals. When employees feel empowered, they are more engaged, resilient, and committed to the company’s vision. They become active participants rather than passive recipients of change.

Case Study 1: Tech Innovators Inc.

Tech Innovators Inc., a leading software development firm, underwent a major change when they decided to shift to a fully agile workflow. While the management understood the benefits of this transition, they knew it would be a significant shift for their employees accustomed to traditional project management methods.

To empower their workforce, Tech Innovators Inc. implemented a comprehensive training program that included workshops on agile methodologies and provided resources such as online courses. Employees were encouraged to take ownership of their learning journeys and apply new methods in pilot projects. In addition, management created cross-functional teams to foster collaboration and autonomy, allowing team members to self-organize and make decisions about task execution.

The result was a seamless transition where employees felt confident in their new roles and responsibilities. The organization saw increased productivity, innovation, and job satisfaction as employees leveraged their skills effectively in a supportive environment.

Case Study 2: Green Earth Industries

Green Earth Industries, a company focused on sustainable energy production, faced an industry paradigm shift due to evolving environmental regulations. To address this, they needed to implement new technologies and processes rapidly.

Understanding the potential for resistance, Green Earth Industries prioritized open
communication with their workforce. They held town hall meetings where leadership discussed the necessity of change and invited feedback and suggestions from employees at all levels. By involving employees in the decision-making process and acknowledging their input, the company built trust and buy-in for the changes.

Furthermore, Green Earth Industries initiated a mentorship program that paired experienced employees with those new to the industry. This initiative allowed for a smooth knowledge  transfer that not only facilitated adaptation to new processes but also fostered a sense of community and shared purpose.

As a result, Green Earth Industries successfully transitioned to compliance with new regulations without major disruptions, and employee morale remained high.

Strategies for Empowering Employees

From these case studies, several key strategies emerge for empowering employees during times of change:

  • Education and Training: Invest in learning opportunities that equip employees
    with the skills necessary to thrive in new environments.
  • Transparent Communication: Keep employees informed about the reasons for
    change and the benefits it brings. Encourage open dialogue and feedback.
  • Inclusive Involvement: Involve employees in the change process, valuing their
    insights and contributions to create a sense of ownership.
  • Supportive Leadership: Encourage leadership to act as coaches and mentors,
    providing guidance and support to navigate through change.
  • Cultivate a Collaborative Culture: Foster teamwork and cross-functional
    collaborations to leverage diverse skills and perspectives.

Change does not have to be a daunting process. Empowering employees through effective strategies ensures not only the success of organizational transformations but also helps build a resilient, engaged, and innovative workforce ready to tackle future challenges.

Let us continue to prioritize human-centered approaches in change management, ensuring that our employees are not just surviving but thriving in a dynamic world.

This article focuses on empowering employees during times of change. It provides an introduction to the topic, explores the power of employee empowerment, illustrates two case studies, and suggests strategies for organizations to empower their workforce effectively.

Bottom line: 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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Empowering Employees: Encouraging Autonomy to Foster Creativity

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Empowering Employees: Encouraging Autonomy to Foster Creativity

GUEST POST from Art Inteligencia

In today’s fast-paced and complex business landscape, nurturing employee creativity has become vital for organizations to stay ahead of the competition. Encouraging autonomy among employees plays a crucial role in harnessing their creative potential and driving innovation. By granting employees the freedom to make decisions, take ownership, and explore new avenues, organizations can create an environment that fosters a culture of creativity. This thought leadership article aims to explore the benefits of empowering employees and illustrate its effectiveness through two compelling case studies.

Case Study 1: Google’s “20% Time” Philosophy

Perhaps one of the most famous examples of empowering employees to foster creativity is Google’s “20% Time” policy. In 2004, Google introduced this initiative, allowing employees to dedicate 20% of their working hours to pursue personal projects unrelated to their assigned tasks. This policy removed bureaucratic constraints and empowered employees to delve into their passions and ideas. As a result, iconic products like Gmail and Google Maps were born during these allotted hours. Encouraging autonomy and providing a platform for employee creativity has proven to be a game-changer for Google, fueling its reputation as an innovative tech giant.

The success of the “20% Time” philosophy lies in granting employees the freedom to explore and experiment without fear of failure. This autonomy builds a sense of ownership, accountability, and intrinsic motivation within the workforce. By investing in employee autonomy, Google demonstrated that empowering employees can lead to groundbreaking innovations and foster a culture of sustained creativity.

Case Study 2: Pixar’s Collaborative Autonomy

Pixar Animation Studios serves as another outstanding example of empowering employees and nurturing autonomy to unlock creativity. Known for its exceptional storytelling and groundbreaking animations, Pixar encourages its employees to actively contribute and take ownership of their projects. Animators, writers, and creative minds are given the freedom to make meaningful decisions, shaping the overall outcome of their work.

Pixar’s film “Toy Story” serves as a remarkable case study. Director John Lasseter empowered his team to contribute ideas, take risks, and challenge conventions throughout the creative process. By fostering a culture of individual and collective autonomy, Pixar cultivated an environment where creativity thrived. This approach allowed the team to push boundaries, resulting in a critically acclaimed and commercially successful film that revolutionized the animation industry.

Lessons Learned and Strategies for Organizations:

The case studies of Google and Pixar illustrate the significant advantages of empowering employees to foster creativity within organizations. To apply these lessons effectively, organizations can consider the following strategies:

1. Encourage experimentation and risk-taking: Provide employees with the freedom to experiment, make decisions, and learn from failures. Organizations should view failures as opportunities for growth and encourage the sharing of lessons learned.

2. Provide platforms for idea exchange: Create spaces where employees can collaborate, share ideas, and contribute to the company’s creative goals. Platforms such as brainstorming sessions, cross-functional teams, and digital collaboration tools can fuel innovation and foster a creative ecosystem.

3. Foster a growth mindset: Encourage continuous learning and development by supporting employees in acquiring new skills and knowledge. Provide resources and training opportunities that enable individuals to stretch their creative abilities further.

4. Recognize and celebrate creativity: Establish recognition programs that celebrate and reward employees’ creative contributions. This appreciation reinforces the value of autonomy and empowers employees to continue pushing the boundaries of creativity.

Conclusion

Empowering employees and promoting autonomy can invigorate creativity and innovation within organizations. The case studies of Google’s “20% Time” philosophy and Pixar’s collaborative autonomy demonstrate the tremendous benefits that result from nurturing creativity within the workforce. By implementing strategies that encourage experimentation, idea exchange, a growth mindset, and recognition, organizations can create an environment where employees feel empowered to unleash their creative potential. Embracing and fostering autonomy will not only drive innovation but also lead to a more engaged and committed workforce, ultimately propelling organizations toward sustainable success in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Bottom line: 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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