Innovation ability is the biggest differentiating factor of today's enterprises. Companies can innovate in many different ways, whether it's developing new products, discovering more effective market channels, optimizing costs, or acquiring new customers. But one thing is consistent: it is the main force that determines whether a company can turn to and maintain investor expectations.
The pandemic has made innovation more important than ever. McKinsey's global survey shows that consumers have largely turned to online channels due to the impact of the epidemic, and companies and industries have also responded. For example, I have seen retailers exploring the shift to e-commerce, healthcare companies shifting to telemedicine, and financial services companies shifting to online banking.
In fact, more than half of the executives surveyed by McKinsey in 2020 view digital transformation as a competitive advantage, or are refocusing their entire business on digital technology.
However, the key to successful innovation lies in the speed at which it occurs. Companies need to quickly make thorough and clear decisions, while gaining the support of all stakeholders. This is where collaboration plays an important role.
Innovative thinking and collaboration are not so much a philosophy as a science. As a member of Google’s Chief Technology Officer’s Office, I work with a team of technical experts and industry experts whose mission is to "collaborate" with our customers. We use a technological perspective to help companies solve the most challenging and ambiguous problems. We helped an insurance company become completely paperless in less than 18 months and helped a consumer products company redefine how to deal with plastics in its supply chain. It is always a combination of getting people involved, enhancing processes, and accelerating the value of technology.
"Heptagon Thinking" is a seven-step system developed by my team to guide collaboration with customers and help them make major changes to disrupt the industry. We find it particularly valuable because anyone at any level in the organization can use this method, and it can be applied wherever people need to get together to solve problems or advance work. Change will not happen overnight. It requires effort, communication and commitment, but it will ultimately provide the ability to innovate faster and drive greater success. The most important of all these steps is willingness to accept failure. Sometimes things don't work, especially when pushing boundaries. Accept this and move on, but don't stop innovating. This will encourage your team to create and execute-and feel safe in doing so.
Empower
Provide a platform for people to solve innovation problems on an equal footing. The best innovations usually come from within the organization, triggered by comments such as "Why are we doing this?" Or "I hope..." and cherished "That's a waste of time".
hear
Improve listening to understand ideas better. Focusing on listening also allows leaders to better guide and determine the space to focus on. Your team knows you and your company best, giving them space to listen and ask questions.
Why?
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It is very clear "why" we do what we do as a company or as an innovation. For example, "Why do we do this?" or "Why do customers care?" and "Why do we exist?" Focus on finding out why. It will be difficult to define, but when you define, the rest becomes much easier.
friction. It's not always about being the number one, or even developing the next great technology. The best innovation comes from eliminating friction that benefits users. Often, companies are still dealing with past preconceived notions. For example, I often hear, "We don't do this here" or "We do it all the time." Eliminating friction is the first step to destruction. Eliminating prejudice provides bandwidth for people and resources to focus on changing things for the future.
famous
What are you famous for? This is where innovation will continue to have the greatest impact on the organization. Let it make the headlines and always exist, "What are we famous for?" Focus on the details and make it simple. Google co-founder Sergey Brin always said: "Any conversation I have about innovation starts with the ultimate goal."
space
It is important to establish time and space for stakeholders to think and reflect, and even calm down for a period of time. For example, when I need to make important decisions, I often go for long walks. It is the uninterrupted space that makes me reflect. Moreover, when you have a team with different perspectives, it is usually the space for the best discussion and creativity. Create space!
quickly
You must act quickly on all aspects of innovation, and you should even share early ideas to provide people with the ability to contribute. Don't wait for the perfect written report; sharing early can help you learn faster. When you push the boundaries of innovation, failure is okay, because not every innovation will work. This is called "fail fast" in technology, but I prefer a method similar to experimentation and learning to have a positive impact. Even things that fail quickly are conducive to learning and continuous innovation.
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