Como fomentar uma cultura de inovação para o crescimento a longo prazo?

First, getting clear on whose responsibility fostering an innovation culture is: business leaders. This has to come from the top. And by that I mean implementing the mechanisms that allow guards to be dropped, confidence to be nurtured, relationships to be formed, and respect to be served. It sounds easier said than done, but really it starts with employees feeling comfortable speaking and sharing their opinions without being interrupted or reprimanded. From there 'innovation' needs to be defined within your organisation, whether incremental or otherwise; general or department specific. Determine how these ideas are captured and what involvement idea owners can expect. Keep communications clear and open.

Encourage R&D. And this is not limited to groundbreaking research or new product inventions but just regular research on how to improve daily tasks and streamline the process should also be encouraged.

Encourage a culture that wholeheartedly embraces failure. Provide employees with the emotional assurance to explore new ideas and take risks, fostering an environment where innovative solutions, addressing the core challenges ("the why" we are in business), can thrive for long-term growth.

Traditional hierarchical system and structure should be downplayed to encourage decentralization of authority to other members of the team. An open culture that permits subordinates to develop solutions with perceived strategy will greatly improve innovation in organizations.

Encourage employees to take calculated risks and experiment with new ideas. Make it clear that mistakes are part of the learning process and won’t be met with punishment. The psychological safety is extremely important to spark new ideas and experimentation. Fear of being reprimanded kills it as people don’t want to speak up. One of the ways to do so is by Celebrating Failure. Recognize that failure is a natural part of innovation. Celebrate failures as valuable experiences that contribute to growth and encourage employees to share what they’ve learned from those failures. Talk about “what” can be done better and not “who” can do better.

Encouraging divergent thinking is key to fostering an innovation culture. People are innately hesitant to put themselves out there and present a new or different idea that challenges the norm...so it has to stem from an organisational culture driver, which usually comes from top management. I found an amazing example of innovation at Spotify. They encourage quick learning through small experiments. They also encourage sharing and collaboration where ANYONE can edit code, but peer code review is encouraged. This explains their 2023 eNPS of 46!

One of the ways we can foster a culture of innovation is to encourage constant experimentation - the action or process of trying out new ideas, methods, or activities. When employees are encouraged to 'play and experiment' within clearly defined boundaries with no negative repercussion, ideas flow freely and could lead to breakthrough innovation.

In ideation sessions it is critical to establish a build mindset - where there is no judgement or criticism at this stage and all ideas are valued.

Innovation thrives on diversity and collaboration. Drawing from my experience, fostering teams that blend varied backgrounds, disciplines, and perspectives is crucial. It's not just about assembling diverse talents; it's about creating an environment where these differences catalyze creativity. Encourage teams to challenge norms and share unique viewpoints. This diversity isn't limited to professional skills but extends to cultural, geographical, and experiential aspects. A team that sees the world through different lenses is more equipped to identify and solve complex problems, driving forward innovation in ways that homogeneous groups cannot. Embrace the 'black sheep' – those who think differently often lead the way in innovation.

Focus on experience and education. It is very difficult to be successful if you don't have a certain amount of experience in the field of which you are trying to be innovative. (Remember the 10,000 hour rule.) Then focus on the education you and your team needs to understand how the innovation will be applied within the fields your are working. (All experience is not the same.) The education will come from working and listening within the field, not just from formal education or training. Finally, remember not all experts are willing to learn new "stuff." So hire your team slowly and fire quickly when the team is feeling out of alignment.

As a management advisor, one has to learn quickly and to gain clear and critical understanding of a plethora of situations. In cases where I am faced with a new area of work; I take advantage of free MOOC’s with highly rated academic institutions. This gives me access to cutting edge industry information and access to thought leaders who are at the forefront of industry and academia. Most importantly, it gives me the inner assurance and confidence that my approach & methodology are appropriate and pragmatic.

Execution! Don’t forget about ensuring innovation doesn’t stop with fancy design thinking workshops and sprints but actually have an execution focused process in place that ensures fast GTM, product-market fit validation, and growth. All the rest is just Innovation Theater 🎭

Creating a culture of innovation begins with fostering a fearless environment that encourages risk-taking, where mistakes are viewed as opportunities to learn and grow. Celebrating failures as valuable stepping stones to success becomes a cornerstone of this culture, reinforcing the notion that innovation is a journey marked by experimentation and resilience. Collaboration is championed, recognizing that diverse perspectives and collective problem-solving yield richer results. Leadership plays a pivotal role by aligning company goals, and resources with the innovation agenda, sending a clear message that innovation is a company-wide priority. This ensures that the innovation culture thrives, driving continuous and sustainable innovation.

Fostering a culture of innovation for sustained growth involves cultivating an environment that encourages creativity, experimentation, and openness to new ideas. Encourage a mindset that values innovation at all levels by providing autonomy, fostering collaboration, and rewarding risk-taking. Create environment, platforms for idea generation, support continuous learning, and embrace diverse perspectives. Establish a safe space for sharing and testing ideas, celebrate both successes and failures as learning opportunities, and embed innovation as a core value within the organization's DNA. This culture shift promotes adaptability, drives long-term growth, and positions the company to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.

Fostering innovation demands clear goals, encouraging experimentation, building diverse teams, adopting agile processes, investing in learning, monitoring performance, and leading by example. These actions drive long-term growth.

Include staff in strategic planning. The staff on the ground are not only workers, they are also observers of systems and behaviours. This means that they have pragmatic insights & solutions, but oftentimes, they are overlooked by senior management . A classic example is the toothpaste factory worker who solved the issue of increasing sales by 50%. Though he was a factory floor worker, he connected the dots between design engineering, consumer behaviour & demand volumes. The solution was to adjust the mouth of the toothpaste tube so that more toothpaste is used with squeeze, resulting in higher use quantities & shorter purchasing frequency cycles.

Leadership commitment! Top-Down Support from leaders are crucial. Ensure leaders at all levels are committed to fostering innovation through modeling visionary Leadership. Leaders should articulate a clear vision of innovation and how it ties into long-term growth. Encouraging a Growth Mindset through continuous Learning. Promote continuous learning and development opportunities. Embrace Failures as Learning Opportunities. Encourage a culture where failures are seen as a natural part of the innovation process.