4 steps to coming ALIVE with innovation.

Companies are often concerned about their quarterly financial statements, with good reasons. But if you treat your people like pliers out of the toolbox who are there only to help you make your numbers, you (and your customers) are losing a LOT! I love this old quote:

”Don't ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive, and go do that, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” -- Howard Thurman

It’s so important to help your people come ALIVE with innovation. They are curious professionals who want adventure. They are ARTISTS who seek visibility. What can you do? Here are 3 steps to helping people come alive:

1. imagination. Learn what “secret projects” your people are imagining and perhaps pursuing, either in after hours, or even just in their own minds. This is their art, which they hope will eventually grow and influence the world. Take your people out for coffee or lunch, and just talk with them to see if any of their ideas comes to light. They want to tell you, but might be reticent.

2. integrated teams. People -- especially your most innovative ones -- create best alone, but innovation requires a PROCESS to go from idea to launch. Connect teams so that those who want to express their art are able to share ideas and energy with other functions in your company. Innovations can start from ANY function -- R&D, marketing, manufacturing, legal, procurement, regulatory -- but to get to the finish line, you need ALL of these. Sometimes your artists might hold back, and so a little help can get everyone pulling in the same direction.

3. resources. Most ideas will need a bit of investment of time, energy, and money. Sometimes it can be quite small, but trust your teams to use your organization's hard-won resources to advance dramatically to serve your customers even better.

4. recognition. After your team gets an innovation win, celebrate it. Innovators often feel invisible in companies, and to provide them a shining moment when the company says, “We did it! Thank you to the artist and everyone on the innovation team!” can be so helpful. And as a tangible follow up, incentivize them with a little more salary, a little more influence, and a little more trust on the next project.

www.kpco.us can help. Connect if you want to know how we can work together to use your current resources to do and become more.

#Innovation, #InnovationProcesses