-
Inspire: Provide
an inspiring vision;
lead
innovation; emphasize opportunities, not problems;
trust your people.
-
Organize: Set rules; create
a
system, guiding structures and
processes supporting innovation and
idea management.
-
Synergize:
Leverage
diversity; facilitate
cross-pollination of ideas; create and empower
cross-functional teams.
-
Empower: Create
a culture of questioning; encourage risk taking; give your
people freedom to
experiment,
fail, and restart.
-
Reward:
Measure progress;
reward both individual and collective contributions;
celebrate success,
make
business fun.
Cultural Change – a
Sustained Effort
A corporate culture
generally represents the norms, assumptions, shared
values, and artifacts within a firm.
 Establishing the culture of
innovation requires a broad and sustained effort. Though
changing a company's culture is never easy, with the
right leadership, cultures can be reshaped and amazing
results can accrue.
Establishing an attitude of relentless growth is
what enables an organization and its people to achieve
their goals. The spirit of relentless growth keeps fresh
ideas flowing and reinvigorates your company.
Thus, "the
primary challenge facing
market leaders is to
institutionalize an environment where every decision and
direction can be
constantly and safely reassessed,"
write Jason Jennings and Laurence Haughton in their book
It's Not the Big that Eat the Small... It's the Fast
that Eat the Slow.
Case in
Point Silicon
Valley Firms
Silicon Valley firms have
flat and participative management structures. In a
meeting rooms at most Silicon Valley companies, the mix
of people, expertise, and ages is striking. More
importantly, the degree of candor is tremendous. You
don't expect to find such level of frankness in
hierarchical companies.
In more direct cultures,
such as Intel or Sun Microsystems, you can witness
easily an intense argument between a senior executive
and an entry-level engineer. Status and seniority aren't
based on age or position; they're based on what you know
and can deliver.
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