To create the culture of innovation in a company we propose to follow four fundamental steps that we know as the DACS method:
- Demystify innovation. Innovation is not a matter of technology, nor is it the exclusive patrimony of Silicon Valley, Singapore, or any other mythologized geographic area. Innovation is much more characteristic of the culture of organizations than of the culture of a territory, and therefore it happens where it happens, and the first step to achieve it is to believe that it is within our reach.
- Aligning concepts. We all talk about innovation, but for everyone it means something different. It is essential that all the people of all the departments of an organization agree on the concepts, that they have a Lingua Franca. It is not for nothing that companies do not innovate, it is the people who make up the company who innovate.
- Concretize. This is the most time-consuming step. It consists of establishing the starting point. And for this it is necessary to know ourselves, to establish the bases. In the case of business innovation, a diagnostic tool such as InnoQuotient is extremely useful in diagnosing the innovation culture and transforming it to make it sustainable over time.
- Systematize. The last step is to apply in a rigorous and disciplined way the great mantra “think big, act small”, which is difficult to find organizations that apply it, because we tend to act big. And to which we add “communicate in fine rain … and only facts” so as not to generate unnecessary cultural resistance.
Benefits of the culture of innovation in a company
- Commitment. Employees are committed to a company with an innovative purpose because they see it as a place where they can grow, where they can say anything “stupid”. It is not for nothing that what connects foolishness and genius is success.
- Motivation. It is important to stop taking motivation courses and putting obstacles in your way. Motivation is the desire to go to work, it is the illusion of getting up. Innovative cultures allow for curious, imaginative and creative growth which, combined with productivity, attracts talent.
- Talent attraction. The tolerance that a culture of innovation requires attracts talent and talented people combined, who imagine things that do not exist, create trends.
- Business excellence. Is business excellence possible without excitement? Is business excitement possible without a culture of innovation, without spaces open to curiosity, imagination and creativity? If a company does not create a culture of innovation, it is difficult to have emotions that lead to excellence.
- Productivity. The Spanish economy falls into the trap of thinking that creative people are not productive, when the reality is that nobody feels like wasting time. Therefore, innovation cultures are more productive, not from the production/hour perspective, which is mercantilist and short term, but from the impact they have on products or services, customer experiences, transformations, etc. that they generate and that are the pillars of the viability of organizations.
Fran Chuan, speaker, trainer, entrepreneur and promoter of the culture of innovation.
With more than two books on the market, Innovation 2.0 and Authenticity, among others, Fran works with the management teams of companies, both in strategic design and teaching workshops, to include a culture of innovation in the leadership style, strategy and DNA of corporate culture.