"Taking the NO Out of InNOvation"- 10 NO's Blocking Business Innovation - Part 3

Today's two NO's blocking innovation tie back to something lacking - time, dollars, attention, support, etc.

5. There's NO Tomorrow

This NO springs from the conviction things will be won or lost in the short term, so there's little need for long term development. Or it may be there's no patience for protracted realization of opportunities. If it's going to be pursued, it needs to be developed and start paying out by the next quarter. With the current economic environment, this sentiment could be more prevalent than ever. What Are Some Things You Can Try?

• Use a solid process for how you think through challenging situations, addressing short term pressures while being mindful of the future.
• Try to manage around strategic whims within the business; sometimes, that's best done by letting them pass.
• Go to school on the best thinking regarding how to manage innovation during challenging business conditions.

6. NO Resources

As with a "no tomorrow" view, lowered interest in applying resources to innovation may be more acutely felt right now. The absence of specific resources can be broad, including management attention, available time, and investment dollars. Without these vital inputs, innovation stalls or never takes off in the first place. What Are Some Things You Can Try?

• Take a hard look at what adds value and what doesn't for areas to prune from the business.
• Narrow your activities and free up potential innovation resources by developing a "stop doing" list of low value or off strategy activities to halt.
• Demonstrate a willingness to be innovative in your approach - how can you introduce and implement new, high-impact ideas with no resources?

On Thursday, attention turns to NO's 7 and 8 along with challenges in catalyzing innovation.