Breakthrough Innovation and the status quo
The leaders say: “Let’s be more innovative.”
The staff says: “Bravo. When do we start?”
The mid-level managers say: “Wait a minute, let’s think about that. What about… and …? Have you REALLY thought it through? Does this mean I have to change?” (Claude Legrand)
Much Rhetoric about change and innovation in the world of big business. There is no doubt most companies today are big believers in the idea of innovation in some shape or form. You only have to look at corporate visions, mission statements and corporate strategies to realise how important it has become. It’s near the top of almost every CEO’s agenda.
So despite technological advances and the vast resources on offer why does Innovation appear to be so difficult and so slow for so many of the biggest corporates?
A legacy of a bygone era perhaps? Many corporate cultures are risk averse and despite the chat aren’t really open to leading the way or breaking the mould. In pursuit of incremental improvement busy stressed out managers focus on doing and simply don’t believe they can make changes unless they have some assurance that a new comfort will result- Hardly the route to breakthrough innovation.
Seth Godin has a very nice list called ” Top ways to defend the status quo”.
One item on the list is “”It’s never been done before”… how many times have you heard that?