When you're first launching some type of innovation initiative, what is the most important innovation strategy question to ask?
A. Who should participate in the innovation workshop?
B. What exercises will generate the strongest ideas?
C. What are we trying to achieve?
D. All of the above
What do you think?
If you've been a Brainzooming reader for any amount of time, you probably know we think "C" is the most important first innovation strategy question to ask.
We call C the granddaddy of ALL strategic thinking questions.
If you have a solid strategic perspective on what you are trying to achieve, you are in a position to apply all the other aspects of a solid innovation strategy process (such as who will participate and the best exercises) in a meaningful way. If you don't start with what you are trying to achieve, you run the risk of coming up with innovative solutions to issues that can wind up being wildly off the mark.
Talking with a potential client about an innovation workshop, I cautioned that his organization wasn't ready for a high-stakes innovation workshop just yet. There was an entire information gathering and analysis phase that was yet to be completed.
But even more importantly, from our relatively brief conversation, there were at least two (and maybe more) candidates for the answer to what they were trying to achieve. And not surprisingly, when we chose a different one of the possibilities for what they wanted to achieve, the range of innovation possibilities suddenly grew larger and different than they were imagining.
That was only possible, however, by spending a little time thinking about what they want to achieve. – Mike Brown
Facing Innovation Barriers? We Can Help!
Are you facing organizational innovation barriers related to:
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The fear of change?
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Scarce resources?
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Limited innovation perspectives?
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An overly-internal focus?
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Multiple innovation challenges?
We have free Brainzooming eBooks for you to help navigate barriers and boost innovation!
