5 Ways to Drive Innovation Deeper Into Your Organization

You have to drive innovation in most organizations. Not everyone is naturally innovative.

Some of that is personality. Some people are wired to see new possibilities. Others are more comfortable improving or maintaining what already exists.

And every healthy organization needs both.

But sometimes a lack of innovation isn’t about personality. It’s simply a lack of intentionality. People get busy doing what they’ve always done and stop asking if there’s a better way.

I’ve learned that innovation shouldn’t be limited to a few creative people at the top. Some of the best ideas often come from people closest to the actual work.

So how do you drive innovation deeper into an organization?

Here are 5 ways I’ve found helpful.

1. Create a culture where innovation is celebrated.

People need to know new ideas are welcomed. Ask questions. Invite suggestions. Celebrate people who challenge the way things have always been done.

If every new idea is immediately met with reasons it won’t work, eventually people stop bringing ideas.

2. Assign tasks of discovery.

Don’t just tell people to be innovative. Give them assignments that require it.

Ask someone to research how other organizations are addressing a challenge. Send them to a conference. Have them explore three alternative ways to accomplish something.

Sometimes innovation starts simply by exposing people to something different.

3. Reward innovation.

What gets rewarded usually gets repeated.

Recognize people who bring fresh ideas, even when every idea isn’t implemented. Celebrate the initiative and creativity, not just the final result.

And don’t make people afraid to fail. If every unsuccessful attempt comes with a penalty, people will naturally choose what’s safe.

4. Give people freedom to experiment.

You can’t demand innovation while controlling every detail of implementation.

Give people a clear understanding of the mission, establish reasonable boundaries, and then let them discover better ways to accomplish the goal.

I’ve often found the finished product is better when it doesn’t look exactly like what I originally envisioned.

5. Make innovation an ongoing expectation.

Innovation shouldn’t be reserved for annual planning meetings or times when something is broken.

Build questions into your normal rhythms.

• What are we doing that no longer works as well as it once did?
• What would we do differently if we were starting today?
• What’s one thing we could improve this month?

And then actually do something with the answers.

Innovation doesn’t have to mean creating something entirely new. Sometimes it’s simply finding a better way to do what you’re already doing.

Not everyone will become a natural innovator. That’s okay. But everyone can contribute to an innovative culture.

And the more people you involve in finding better ways forward, the less dependent your organization becomes on a handful of people having all the good ideas.