Above all, we are pragmatic. We’re interested in what works. And our experience dictates that what usually works is a relatively light touch.
The ability for an organisation to innovate, to continue to evolve and develop new income streams and maintain a sustainable differentiation is not down to process or theory. It's about the abilities and willingness of its people to embrace some guiding innovation principles.
The individuals, teams and cross-networks of any organisation are different, and they are shaped by their own cultural norms and environment. Developing an innovation capability for each organisation is therefore bespoke, starting with a thorough understanding of the organisation and its people. This includes observing and listening to people in typical work situations including the social (eg lunch, a drink after work, social interactions throughout the work day) and more formal work experiences such as meetings, telephone calls, e-mails and presentations.
Once the fundamentals of how people think, feel and behave are clear, you can decide how the key innovation principles can be used to develop the most appropriate innovation capability. For example, a lack of classic marketing knowledge may be rectified by developing an internal marketing school or the frequent occurrence of hierarchical decision making might be re-thought using collaborative tools such as graphically facilitated meetings designed with a thorough understanding of team dynamics.