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Innovation Matters … Through the Eyes of a Career Management Consultant. Steve Harrison Chairman, Lee Hecht Harrison. WHY ME?. As Career Management Consultants:. We’re observers of corporate cultures ... especially leadership We handle the “ people impact” of innovation: Job creation
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Innovation Matters …Through the Eyes of a Career Management Consultant Steve Harrison Chairman, Lee Hecht Harrison
As Career Management Consultants: • We’re observers of corporate cultures ... especially leadership • We handle the “people impact” of innovation: • Job creation • Job change • Job loss
Innovate: (Webster’s Dictionary) “To make changes, to do something in a new way.” [From ancient French word: “Innovacyon” … renewal, or a new way of doing things.] So … It’s not just inventing “the next big thing” …
Innovation’s Gift:Creating Need!(Sometimes when need doesn’t really exist!)
Need Creation Product Variation Demand Stimulation Supply Expansion Resource Expansion Jobs Expansion Innovation’s Role in Job Creation
Innovation is a Business Imperative: The basis for: • Competitive advantage • Growth • Productivity Some companies “get it” and some don’t
Companies that Don’t “Get It” • Don’t include innovation in their values • Are tolerant of the “NIH” syndrome • Resist a failure-tolerant culture • Don’t install a system-wide process of idea management • Don’t budget resources for innovation
Companies that Don’t “Get It” • Don’t build diversity and collaboration into the process • Don’t sustain innovation endeavor • Don’t walk the “think-outside-the-box” talk • Are not creative around reward, recognition & celebration • Don’t value innovation in leadership
Companies that “Get It” Ensure a sustained innovation process & culture The Trick: Institutionalize Innovation
Clues to Innovative Companies Do they … • Communicate innovation as a cultural and strategic priority? • Create a failure-tolerant environment? • Protect innovators from bureaucracy? • Provide “psychic” income? • Encourage innovation during the good times? (“If it ain’t broke, break it.”)
Clues to Innovative Companies Do they … • Kill the mindset that innovation is only about inventing the Next Big Thing? • Build a culture where there is no such thing as a bad idea? • “Start small; keep it simple?” … Peter Drucker
THE NEW ONE… THE OLD ONE 2002 1872
Clues to Innovative Companies Do they … • Kill the mindset that innovation is only about inventing the Next Big Thing? • Build a culture where there is no such thing as a bad idea? • “Keep it focused; keep it simple?”… Peter Drucker • Value diversity & collaboration? • Make it fun?
Creativity & Culture Corporate culture … “The playing field of innovation”
Honeywell Toyota Samsung Nestle Kimberly Clark Microsoft Medtronic Canon Merck Speedo Nokia “Global Innovation Leaders”: The World’s Top Innovators
Innovative Innovators! Bose – Reinvests 100% earnings into innovation Williams Sonoma – “Customer Care Centers” Kraft– Creates annual innovation budgets Bristol-Meyers Squibb – Conducts “ideathons” Polaroid – “Creativity Labs” Franklin Covey – “Collaboration Rooms” Gore-Tex– “Innovation Democracy”
Innovative Innovators! Whirlpool – Mandatory course on innovation Dupont – “Center for Creativity and Innovation” Microsoft – “Microsoft Research” Airco – Conducts “Brainstorms” IDEO – Consultants in the Art of Innovation The Body Shop – DODGI (Department of Damned Good Ideas)
Beyond Caprice & Serendipity … Failure as the Mother of Invention! Post-It Notes Jacuzzi Champagne Urethane Sponge
Beyond Caprice & Serendipity … Failure as the Mother of Invention! Post-It Notes Jacuzzi Champagne Urethane Sponge Viagra
Building a Bridge Between the Workplace of the Future & Our Underprepared Workforce • Mandatory core course: “Navigating the New World of Work” • More live exposure to the corporate world • Early skills assessments • Internships & co-op programs • States: Partner with, “reward,” and publicize the most innovative companies
Innovation … “Like Nailing Jello to the Wall!” but We still need a “Declaration of Innovation” to “Harvest the Invisible Intelligence” and to Seek the “Beneficial Surprise”
To Avoid This … A banker to Thomas Edison: “Get that #@! toy out of my office!”
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here’s to an Innovative 2005!