At STRIDE, we talk about innovation every day. We constantly seek new ideas and assist visionary business leaders in developing their product or service innovations, equipping them with the decision-making tools and skills to keep moving forward.
But what if you’re not the only creative mind in the business? How can you establish and nurture a culture of innovation within your team? Of course, this requires a team effort, not just for a top-secret project owned by a single person. A good starting point is to actively engage with team members, inviting their input and encouraging creative and critical thinking. Even if their ideas aren’t always directly aligned with the goal, it’s important for each team member in an innovative business to feel part of the culture. In our experience, this inclusion is valuable for everyone.
If you’re in a team of brilliant, innovative thinkers, deciding which ideas to prioritise can be a challenge. At STRIDE, we often recommend decision tools like charrettes or dot-voting to identify the ideas with the most team support. Collaborative ideation fosters a culture of innovation and helps gain invaluable buy-in from the entire team.
Creating a ‘safe space’ for ideas is essential, as is valuing ideas equally, no matter where they originate. But how do you measure innovation? What metrics can quantify ‘good innovation’? Simple tools like a cost/benefit analysis or a Kanban board can help track the progress of an idea. While these might not be relevant at very early stages, benchmarks can help ensure an idea is moving in the right direction and holds the potential to add value throughout its development.
Ultimately, an innovative culture is vital for any business that wants to innovate efficiently. It allows a team to make swift, informed decisions, ensuring good ideas are pursued while those less aligned can be identified and set aside.
An innovation-driven culture means a lean, efficient approach to ideation and development. Collaboration brings useful, diverse perspectives, and valuing all contributions, even those that may be disregarded, is the cornerstone of establishing a thriving culture of innovation.