We see seven keys to creating an innovative workplace culture where individuals are able to meaningfully contribute to the organization’s innovation strategy.
If you’re looking at your organization and wondering where to start to foster a more innovative workplace culture, here are forty articles to go deeper into the topic.
An innovative workplace culture:
#1 Provides Direction
It’s vital to point your innovation strategy in a direction. That doesn’t mean leadership should spell out everything. Yet sharing knowledge about what matters for the organization’s future success shouldn’t be a mystery to those working on innovation initiatives.
- Articulating Your Strategic Innovation Direction in an Understandable Way
- What is the first innovation strategy question to ask?
- Strategic Thinking Questions to Identify What Matters for a Brand
- 5 Ideas for Turning a Vision Statement into Strategy
- Better Business Results – 6 Benefits from Articulating a Shared Vision
- Who Needs Vision Statement Examples? Try these 6 Steps
- 9 Critical Steps Before Your Innovation Strategy Gets Sexy
#2 Invites Broad Participation
Throw open innovation to encompass perspectives from throughout the organizations AND outside the organization. Instead of asking people for the next big ideas, ask them for insights and perspectives that can contribute to shaping big ideas for the organization.
- Workplace Diversity – The Why, Who, and How of Strategic Thinking
- Strategic Thinking Success – 3 Critical Thinking Perspectives
- Strategic Thinking Perspectives – Three Strategic Voices to Include on Your Team
- Creative Thinking – The Math of Brainstorming and New Ideas
#3 Meaningfully Engages and Involves Employees
Develop multiple innovation roles that match your team’s talents, strengths, perspectives, and aspiration. Provide the training, structure, and access to opportunities to best use their knowledge and expertise to drive the innovation strategy.
- 5 Keys to Engaging Employees in Innovation Strategy – Our Buy-In Manifesto
- Innovation Strategy – 6 Ideas Better than “Clean Sheet of Paper” Creativity
- Screwing Up in How You Request Employee Ideas
- 5 Employee Engagement Ideas When Turnover Is High
- 9 Extreme Creativity Questions from Peter’s Laws
- Outside-In Innovation Strategy – 2 Ways to Take a Fresh Look
#4 Encourages Change
Make sure senior leadership is saying and DOING things that send a clear message: trying new things is fine, we understand not everything is going to work, and it’s vital we look beyond our current environment to identify innovation strategy possibilities.
- Creating Change and Change Management – 4 Strategy Options
- 10 Signs to Invest in Your Brand’s Innovation Strategy – Right Now!
- Strategic Thinking Exercises to Pursue an Outside-In Innovation Strategy
- Innovation Strategy – 4 Change Management Struggles at Disney
- 8 New Questions for Breakthrough Ideas
- Strategic Thinking Exercise – 17 Questions to Find Innovation Case Studies
#5 Pursues Smart Possibilities
There are clear processes in place to explore, assess, and prioritize the best innovation opportunities and meaningfully propel the organization forward.
- The Ten Big NOs to InNOvating
- Built for Discomfort – An Alternative Prioritization Strategy for Innovation
- Creating Strategic Impact – Small, Possible Steps
- 3 Tracks to Fast Track Innovative Ideas
- Focusing on Your “Happy Zone”
- 8 Mistakes in Making Mistakes
#6 Stays Agile
What’s innovative will continue to change. Your environment needs to be ready to understand what’s important today while looking ahead to future developments and opportunities to disrupt markets and competitors.
- A 5-Step Innovation Strategy Formula
- Creating Strategic Impact – 15 Resources on Strategic Agility
- Agile Strategy – 16 Strategic Thinking Questions to Explore Disruptive Innovation
- 16 Ways to Find New Resources to Innovate
- Innovation Metrics – A Whole Brain Strategy
#7 Celebrates Progress and Success
For all the fanfare about celebrating failures, an innovative workplace culture recognizes and celebrates trying and learning, progress and determination, AND success.
- Creative Thinking – 7 Keys to How “Idea Magnets” Boost Creativity
- What Is Your Organizational Body Language Saying?
- Innovation Strategy – 4 Ways to Celebrate Risk Taking
- Creativity in Business – 48 Creative Appreciation Ideas
- Creative Thinking Skills – Establishing a Grade-Free Zone
- Extreme Creativity – Are Your Bold Ideas Really Crazy?
