Making Innovation HappenCommunity Leadership, Innovation and Capacity

Stephen Murgatroyd, PhD FRSA FBPsSThe Innovation Expedition Inc.

Six “Headwinds” Requiring You To Be Innovative

• Demographic changes• Economic changes – productivity,

competitiveness and innovation• Energy, Environment and Sustainability changes• Technology changes• Shifts in the balance of power• Identity changes – people, organizations,

community

The Key Responses to These Headwinds

• Focus and alignment within a company• Community support for business, innovation

and productivity• Collaboration within and between firms,

especially those working in the same sector• Leadership at all levels• Knowledge, learning and education

INNOVATION

“I’ll be happy to give you innovative thinking. What are the guidelines?”

Sometimes Innovation is Risky…

Sometimes Innovation is at a Basic Level

Sometimes Innovations are Just Weird…

Sometimes Innovations are Disruptive

Most Innovations are Adopt-AdaptUses standard construction methods from concrete construction practices• Prefabricated sections• Set up ready for electrical and plumbing

Project management practices to ensure on-time construction = 1 floor per week, 9 floors = 10 weeks• Inspection a floor at a time• 1 week for foundations + 9 weeks building

Rapid construction, guaranteed price and delivery

Sometimes New Ideas Fall on Deaf Ears

Sometimes Innovators Are Ahead of the Game

Yet We Know Innovation is Key to Our Future

Level 3: Systems Shift (5%)

System wide change enablingSignificant

Performance gains

Level 2: Changing A System Element (28%)

One component of a system is changed with impacts on the system as a whole

Level 1: Tweaking and Continuous Improvement (61%)

No real innovation, just good work to make things better, cheaper, faster

Level 4: Disruptive Innovation (6%)Game changing

innovation

4 Kinds of Innovation

Adoption Takes Time

As a Process, Innovation is “Messy”

Ideation• Brainstorm• Green Hat Thinking• First cut invention• Inspired Conversations

Play and Test

• Deeper research• Prototype / pilot• Scouting Parties

Evaluate &

Sell

• Show triple bottom line returns on capital

• Show performance gains

• Persuade, sell, cajole

Build

• Full development cycle

• Full scale implementation

At A Minimum, It Involves

Mind Set Shifts Risk Diligence Challenge Teamwork

Seeing with

Different Lenses

LEADERSHIP

Innovation Definitely Involves Leadership Challenges

– Think outside the box– Challenge conventional processes– Build trusting relationships– Inspire shared vision among their colleagues– Model the way for others – Enable others to take action– Encourage the practice of innovation, of disciplined follow-

up and the measurement of outcomes– Exhibit grace under pressure– Recognize the sense in having a sense of humour

Rethinking...

• Collaboration – the DNA on the knowledge economy – think co-opetition

• People, learning and engagement• Customers as sources for new ideas• Supply chains as the basis for smart thinking• Challenge and stretch goals• Community and the engagement of society in

your work – your social license..

To Make Innovation Happen, You Need.. Systematic and Effective Imagineering

COMMUNITY

Communities Can Support Innovation

• Education – innovation index for schools, problem based learning and challenge the community to solve community problems

• Imagination Conversations – how can community organizations imagine together a different future?

• Leadership – focus on two themes – productivity and waste – and see what you can do in the community...

• Knowledge – sharing best practices, new ideas and fostering collaboration

THE THREE BIG MESSAGES

The Three Big Messages

• “The future isn’t what it used to be...”• “You cant get to where you want to be

by doing what you have always done, expecting different results...”

• “An investment in knowledge pays the best results”