How to foster Innovation in your Company

Let’s look at two real-world examples of innovation and their outcomes:

In the late 1960s, Spencer Silver, a scientist at 3M, was trying to develop a strong adhesive for aircraft construction. However, he stumbled upon a low-tack, reusable adhesive that stuck to surfaces but could be easily removed without leaving a residue. It wasn’t until several years later, when Spencer’s colleague, Art Fry, had an idea for a new type of bookmark, that he realized the true potential of the adhesive. The result was the Post-it Note.

In 1975, Steve Sasson, an engineer at Kodak, invented the first digital camera. Despite its groundbreaking potential, Kodak’s leadership rejected the digital camera, fearing it would cannibalize their existing film business. As Sasson later told the New York Times, “It was filmless photography, so management’s reaction was, ‘That’s cute—but don’t tell anyone about it.’

This example illustrates how even the most innovative ideas can be stifled if the organization’s culture and leadership do not support innovation. In the rapidly evolving business world, innovation is not just a buzzword but a critical necessity for survival and growth. It is the driving force behind creating new products, services, and business models that can give a company a competitive edge. However, fostering innovation is a complex process.

One of the easiest ways to kill innovation before it reaches the starting line is to measure the first prototypes by the current quality standards. Steve Sasson’s first digital camera was the size of a toaster and had a resolution of 100×100 pixels, which is 0.01 megapixels. The picture quality was nowhere near the quality of the films. Yet, today, digital photography is the norm in superior quality.

The parallel is often seen in trial castings of new technologies. Let me give you an example. Microspraying requires superior tool cooling, and rheocasting requires a different ingate. In both cases, if you take your worn-out tool and start the casting trial, you will never accomplish a better quality than the existing series production, but in a minimal time frame. There is nothing wrong with starting that way. Extensive tool modifications are often not in the budget, so you must work with them. Yet, the expectations remain the same: the parts must be better than the series you spent years optimizing. 

In trial castings like that, you need to set expectations to determine whether it is an interesting technology that, when implemented correctly, will give you an advantage on the market. There will be many roadblocks on the way to perfection, but you can solve all of them by constantly improving. How can that be done?

Intrapreneurs are employees who think and act like entrepreneurs within their organization. They are characterized by their curiosity, action-oriented approach, relationship-building skills, risk management, vision, and conscientiousness. They can switch perspectives, often referred to as “zooming in and out”.

Intrapreneurs are often the best employees within a company, but they can be overloaded with work. This includes developing a second speed for rapid innovation, cultivating intrapreneurs, helping startups to scale, and having a fair system of risk and reward. By understanding and implementing these elements, companies of all sizes can foster a culture of innovation that drives growth and success. 

Please look at the Process Optimisation Workshop, as it is the perfect tool to identify these intrapreneurs in your company. Schedule a Free Consultation Call down below to inquire about this workshop.