One day, I was talking with the manager of our customer support group about what changes in the product would make his life easier. He began explaining how if he had a better diagnostic utility, it would be easier to identify the common configuration errors that occur in the field. His idea was we could provide the utility, ask the customer to run the utility, look at the output of the utility, and then advise the customer on how to correct the problem.
Something didn’t feel right about this. I asked if the steps to correct the issues were well understood and deterministic. The reply was “Yes.” So, then I asked, “Gee, Andrew, if the solutions are known in advance, wouldn’t it be better if the utility not only identified the diagnostic data, but also could fix the problem immediately?” Andrew’s reply came swiftly. “Yes, that would be great. I didn’t think I could ask for that.”
How many great initiatives never get the chance to get started because the need is not given a voice? This feeling that there are unspoken limits to what can be considered is something I have heard in many environments. I don’t know of a single manager who would feel good that employees felt they needed permission to pursue ways of creating value for the customer and hence the company. Yet, the fact is these feelings exist and are more common than we might imagine.
The topic is one that has been touched upon by others. Drew Boyd advises innovation practitioners to “stop evangelizing and start doing.” While the Front End of Innovation blog suggests that innovators “just keep at it.”
Both comments are well founded. Innovation practitioners must stop worrying about the repercussions of innovation, and get on with the business of creating value. If they are focused on innovation that is aligned with the corporate objectives, they will be able to find high level champions to take up the standard and support their efforts.
Managers, however, must also take note. Note all workers are driven by the same level of entrepreneurial spirit. Some will take the initiative and act. Others will wait for permission. So, it is up to you to grant permission proactively. Communicate the rules of engagement and the corporate objectives in a way that empowers your innovation workers. When you make it clear that they have permission to be bold (or better yet that they will be rewarded for demonstrating constructive initiative) you will be surprised at the value-creating forces you unleash.
Comments