One would be hard pressed to find a company these days that isn’t talking about becoming more innovative. The term is so widely used, and so broadly defined, that it’s on the verge of losing any meaningful impact. I just had the opportunity to see Guy Kawasaki speak on the “Art of Innovation,” which was something he originally posted on his blog titled how to change the world back in 2006. I don’t disagree that there is an “art” to innovation, and his speech was quite good and inspiring, but—like any art form—the way in which innovation is interpreted, embraced, and implemented in organizations is subject to a liberal amount of “creative license.” It can be like, “Yes, innovation – let’s do that!” without a full commitment to its wide scale implications.
Being truly committed to innovation changes the way you approach your work each day, forces new mindsets, and requires that one be open to new ways of working and acting differently. It demands accepting that great success also goes hand in hand with great risks and great failures. And understanding that once you ARE innovative you have to start right over again – because as soon as you are, you aren’t.