Innovation Matters …Innovation Matters …Through the Eyes of a Through the Eyes of a Career Management Career Management

ConsultantConsultant

Steve HarrisonChairman, Lee Hecht Harrison

WHY ME?WHY ME?

As Career Management As Career Management Consultants:Consultants:

We’re observers of corporate cultures ... especially leadership

We handle the “people impact” of innovation:● Job creation● Job change● Job loss

InnovateInnovate: (Webster’s Dictionary): (Webster’s Dictionary)

“To make changes, to do something in a new way.”

[From ancient French word: “Innovacyon” … renewal, or a new way of doing things.]

So …So …

It’s not just inventing “the next big thing” …

Innovation’s Gift:

Creating NeedCreating Need!!(Sometimes when need

doesn’t really exist!)

Lessons from the Dry Cereal Shelf!

Innovation’s Role in Job CreationInnovation’s Role in Job Creation

Need Creation Product Variation

Demand Stimulation Supply Expansion

Resource Expansion Jobs Expansion

Innovation is a Innovation is a Business Business ImperativeImperative::

The basis for: Competitive advantage

Growth

Productivity

Some companies “get it” and some don’t

Companies that Companies that Don’tDon’t “Get It” “Get It”

Don’t include innovation in their values

Are tolerant of the “NIH” syndrome

Resist a failure-tolerant culture

Don’t install a system-wide process of idea management

Don’t budget resources for innovation

Companies that Companies that Don’tDon’t “Get It” “Get It”

Don’t build diversity and collaboration into the process

Don’t sustain innovation endeavor

Don’t walk the “think-outside-the-box” talk

Are not creative around reward, recognition & celebration

Don’t value innovation in leadership

Companies that “Get It”Companies that “Get It”

Ensure a sustained innovation process & culture

The Trick:

Institutionalize Innovation

Clues to Innovative Clues to Innovative Companies Companies

Do they … Communicate innovation as a cultural and

strategic priority?

Create a failure-tolerant environment?

Protect innovators from bureaucracy?

Provide “psychic” income?

Encourage innovation during the good times? (“If it ain’t broke, break it.”)

Clues to Innovative Clues to Innovative CompaniesCompanies

Do they … Kill the mindset that innovation is only

about inventing the Next Big Thing?

Build a culture where there is no such thing as a bad idea?

“Start small; keep it simple?” … Peter Drucker

THE OLD ONE THE NEW ONE…

Clues to Innovative Clues to Innovative CompaniesCompanies

Do they … Kill the mindset that innovation is only about

inventing the Next Big Thing?

Build a culture where there is no such thing as a bad idea?

“Keep it focused; keep it simple?”… Peter Drucker

Value diversity & collaboration?

Make it fun?

Creativity & CultureCreativity & Culture

Corporate culture … “The playing field of innovation”

““Global Innovation Leaders”: Global Innovation Leaders”: The World’s Top InnovatorsThe World’s Top Innovators

HoneywellToyotaSamsungNestleKimberly ClarkMicrosoft

Medtronic

Canon

Merck

Speedo

Nokia

Innovative Innovators!Innovative Innovators!

Bose – Reinvests 100% earnings into innovation

Williams Sonoma – “Customer Care Centers”

Kraft – Creates annual innovation budgets

Bristol-Meyers Squibb – Conducts “ideathons”

Polaroid – “Creativity Labs”

Franklin Covey – “Collaboration Rooms”

Gore-Tex – “Innovation Democracy”

Innovative Innovators!Innovative Innovators!

Whirlpool – Mandatory course on innovation

Dupont – “Center for Creativity and Innovation”

Microsoft – “Microsoft Research”

Airco – Conducts “Brainstorms”

IDEO – Consultants in the Art of Innovation

The Body Shop – DODGI (Department of Damned Good Ideas)

Beyond Caprice & Serendipity … Beyond Caprice & Serendipity … FailureFailure as the Mother of Invention! as the Mother of Invention!

Post-It Notes

Jacuzzi

Champagne

Urethane Sponge

Beyond Caprice & Serendipity … Beyond Caprice & Serendipity … FailureFailure as the Mother of Invention! as the Mother of Invention!

Post-It Notes

Jacuzzi

Champagne

Urethane Sponge

Viagra

Building a Bridge Between the Building a Bridge Between the Workplace of the Future & Our Workplace of the Future & Our Underprepared WorkforceUnderprepared Workforce

Mandatory core course: “Navigating the New World of Work”

More live exposure to the corporate world

Early skills assessments

Internships & co-op programs

States: Partner with, “reward,” and publicize the most innovative companies

Innovation … “Like Nailing Innovation … “Like Nailing Jello to the Wall!”Jello to the Wall!”

but

We still need a “Declaration of Innovation”

to

“Harvest the Invisible Intelligence”

and to

Seek the “Beneficial Surprise”

To Avoid This …To Avoid This …A banker to Thomas Edison:

“Get that #@! toy out of my office!”

HAPPY NEW YEAR!HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Here’s to an Innovative 2005!