The Wrong Innovation Culture

Technologies are changing fast. But the way people think, does not. Therefore, it is not easy, but important, to react faster to market changes than current common practice.

If you want to avoid the competition passing you by or clinging to old business models for too long and in the end, missing out on the digital transformation, then you have to talk about change now. Above all, two questions should be asked:

• How can my company become more agile and innovative?
• Which processes and methods do we have to develop in order to remain permanently agile and innovative in the future?

If, for example, you want to offer digital value-added services, IoT products or intelligent services in the course of digital transformation, it goes without saying that you have to develop your own skills in these areas. Of course you should be supported by proven industry and technology experts like COSMO CONSULT, but also build up new expertise yourself.

But always make sure that you remain agile and flexible in your technology strategy. That is an important part of the digital transformation.

Think big, start small – but start! Digital transformation means innovation. And innovation exists only you when you put your new ideas actually into action.

To test the value of a new idea, you could install a voting platform in your organization, for example. The goal is to reach as many employees as possible. That way you will ensure acceptance by the majority of your colleagues at an early stage of prototyping.

Consider whether it is better to follow a pull rather than a push approach. This gives your employees more freedom to realize their ideas. Create an atmosphere of co-thinking and re-thinking

Managers and shareholders prefer measurability, but how do you measure new ideas? One thing is clear, new approaches always involve risks. Explain to your executives that the future is at stake and carefully calculate the risks. And above all, do not shy away from taking calculable risks. Because, if you don’t risk something, then you are never even in the game!

Perhaps it helps to understand prototyping as a bet on the future. You have to believe in your bet, be convinced of it. Then you can talk about the wager, invest, test, optimize and do everything to win the bet.

Well-functioning prototyping makes your company fit for the digital future. Let everyone participate. Those who have developed an idea should be personally responsible and the official representatives of their idea. Dare to take manageable risks. Without the realization of new ideas there is no future!

Take a vote on promising ideas. This will help you to prioritize and ultimately bring your prototypes to serial production maturity. And in the end, you have created a roadmap that is supported by your entire organization.

We are curious. Do you have your own method of promoting and realizing new ideas in your company? Is there an example of an innovation that you have developed which you are particularly proud of? Or, what is stopping you? In your opinion, which factors reduce the required agility?