BQF Innovation

What are the key characteristics of a corporate culture that promotes innovation?  And those that inhibit innovation?  These were the topics we discussed in a workshop I facilitated yesterday for the Global Business Partnership Alliance.  We discussed a number of issues.  We conducted a survey among attendees and these were the main issues in the order in which they were a challenge.  The first item was agreed to be the biggest problem in setting a culture for innovation and so on:

1. Internal communication - overcoming silos.
2. Allowing failure and eliminating a blame culture.
3. Allowing anyone to challenge anything.
4. Developing a positive attitude to change - overcoming fear and complacency.
5. Developing a positive attitude to risk management.
6. Empowering people to try new initiatives without explicit approval.
7. Welcoming ideas from outside the organisation - eliminating ‘not invented here.’
8. Encouraging new ideas.

We discussed what various companies did to tackle these problems and generated some novel ideas.  One of the most radical was the idea of a ‘Shadow Board’ which would get the same input and agenda as the main board.  It would come to its own conclusions and could then challenge the thinking of the executive team on strategic issues.  In a constructive way it would become the ‘Official Opposition’ and so legitimise a positive debate within the organisation.

If you have any thoughts on this notion or the list above then please add your comments.

Paul Sloane

Today’s meeting of the BQF Innovation Unit discussed the issue of Competency Traps. The session was led by Richard Granger of Arthur D Little. He presented a comprehensive review of the topic and then facilitated a workshop where delegates assessed their organisational competence in 7 key areas. Competency traps are skills, attributes and things we are proud of, that constrain our thinking.  They break down into a Vision trap, a Routinisation trap and Technology traps.  Richard advised that the best way to combat these hazards is to open the organisation up to external stimuli.  This led into a discussion of many aspects of open innovation and we reviewed what P&G, Rolls-Royce and Philips Research were doing in these areas.  Seven key management capabilities were identified:

1. Innovation Sourcing Strategy
2. Ideas Management
3. Business Intelligence
4. Relationship Management
5. Project Management
6. Competence Management
7. Innovation Culture

In the workshop session delegates identified the areas of greatness weakness as being Innovation Culture, Business Intelligence and Project Management.

There followed a presentation on Innovation actitivities at EDF Energy given by Kathy Hart.  She covered a range of initiatives including ‘Let’s Try it’, Dragon’s Lair, Ambassadors, Innovation Funding Incentives and E-Factor and described some of the successful innovations that have resulted.

Delegates who attended and BQF members can obtain copies of the powerpoint presentations from Pat Myles.

Our thanks go to our presenters Richard Granger and Kathy Hart for making the morning stimulating and productive.

Paul Sloane