Innovation! The by-product of being Exceptional!

Innovation is still the buzz word de jour in both the private and public sectors. Regular book launches, articles on the critical application of innovation for commercial survival and keynote speakers preaching the importance of workplace creativity all combine to cement innovation’s place in the contemporary organisation and that of the future.

And you new it was coming… BUT! How many organisations are looking at innovation in a truly holistic way? Ticking the innovation box isn’t just a matter of providing workshops on creative thinking and brainstorming techniques or adding the word to a brochure, strap line or mission statement in the naivety or hope that people will somehow be convinced that your organisation is innovative because you say so!

I don’t believe an organisation can issue itself with an innovation badge. Externally, your customers or the people you provide services for must see and experience your innovativeness for themselves. By your very actions, the things you do and how you do them will see those very people label you innovative. They’ll pin the innovation badge on you! Then there are your people. Internally, organisations must be as ‘people centric’ as they are ‘customer centric’ in order to create amazing places to work and inspire people to achieve great things.

As consumers we all migrate to amazing companies; like magpies to milk bottle tops. We’re inspired by things like Red Bull’s brand extension into things like aerobatic display competitions and extreme games sponsorship. In essence, from the consumers’ point of view they’re cool! Another example is Innocent Drinks. As consumers we like their products but what impresses us more is the fact that they are cited as being a cool company to work for. It’s that traits which really links them with being innovative not necessarily their products.

The point to my point is that companies like these understand what it takes to do things differently and understand the holistic approach required to create a remarkable organisation. If by default they then do something that the public, their competition, or we brand as ‘innovative’ so be it but their concentration will more likely have been to inspire their people to do and keep doing amazing things.

“If you have truly inspiring and motivated people around you, you can do anything, we have an ambition to be Europe’s most talent-rich company, and as long as we keep trying to achieve that, we’ll be ok.”

Dan Germain, Head of Creative – Innocent

So private and public sector organisations alike, inspire your people to be absolutely exceptional at what you do and how you do it and the innovation badge will no doubt be bestowed upon you. Whether it is or it isn’t you’ll definitely create an amazing place to work for you and your people and be the no-brainer choice for your customers! And after all, isn’t that what we’re trying to ‘innovate’ for anyway!

Cris Beswick