FUTURE & INNOVATION
Empowerment becomes possible
through decentralizing power, setting
shared goals, and allowing for
participative problem solving and
decision making.
Where an appetite for risk is then built
into a group culture as a norm, and
where people feel equipped (through
better training and education, as well
as through having access to the latest
technologies), innovative ideas can
flourish. When they are then enabled
to prototype and trial solutions for
practical application, innovative
implementation is then facilitated.
with our high quality education
system being credited as helping to
build creative thinking and problem
solving skills, and with the recognition
that we are one of the most diverse
multicultural countries in the world.
NEXT, DEVELOP A TOLERANCE
FOR MORE DIVERSE IDEAS
Diversity, particularly cultural
diversity, has been found to be linked
to innovation and better economic
performance. The problem is that
diverse groups can be volatile and
unproductive if there is limited
respect. Group diversity has been
found to be linked with more perceived
conflict and a lack of trust.
While groups of likeminded people
come up with solutions faster, the
solutions are inevitably mediocre.
Groups that are made up of people
from diverse backgrounds, on the
other hand, will contribute varied
opinions and ideas and explore more
options. As long as the process is well
facilitated, and although it will typically
take longer, these groups can come up
with superior solutions.
Let’s continue to develop our
strengths, and we might just be able to
step up on the podium and truly claim
that coveted ‘innovation nation’ title.
Homogeneity can be damaging,
because there can be a tendency
towards conformity and groupthink –
which in turn limits the exploration of
different ideas. Strong connections
between individuals can become
protective walls which are barriers to
new ideas.
Encouraging and valuing diversity, on
the other hand, is essential for starting
the innovation journey.
FINALLY, ENABLE TALENT FOR
BETTER IMPLEMENTATION
To support talent development for
better innovation, individuals will
need to be empowered, equipped, and
enabled.
Empowerment is a first key to helping
to develop the sort of curiosity
and imagination that can lead to
breakthrough applications. And this
can happen at any level. A study of
garbage collectors in San Francisco
found that if the collectors were free
to select their own opportunities they
were more innovative.
Gaia Grant and Andrew Grant are
the authors of The Innovation Race:
How to change a culture to change
the game (Wiley August 2016) along
with a number of other international
bestselling books and resources. As
the Directors of Tirian International
Consultancy they help to create
innovation cultures for a range of
international organisations (including
Fortune 500 companies and NFPs).
The Grants are top-ranking keynote
speakers, and Gaia is a post-graduate
researcher and guest lecturer at Sydney
University Business School. For more
information see www.the-innovationrace.com.
October 2016
ModernBusiness
57