Towards a sustainable innovative organisation.

The world is moving, only we are standing still.

In our Western economy, we have been searching for a new lease of life for some time now. Much of what used to put us at the top is now being achieved more cheaply elsewhere. We realise that we will have to adapt our way of working if we want to remain economically significant. After all, technology is also evolving at an ever-increasing pace. Innovation is the message. But how?

Our organisational models no longer seem to work. Young people entering the labour market have different expectations. 'You come to work in exchange for wages' is no longer a given. Millennials are from a completely different generation that we do not yet understand and which even frightens us a little. We feel that something has to change. But how?

Begin with the end in mind.

That is one of the seven habits of highly effective people, as management guru Stephen Covey formulated it years ago. We look up to examples such as Ricardo Semmler, Richard Brandson, Steve Jobs, Wouter Torfs, Frank Van Massenhove, etc. Visionary leaders who apparently know what is needed and also have the courage to set the right things in motion. Organisations such as Google, Ryanair, Airbnb, Uber, etc. also show us that things can be done differently. And yet the majority of leaders and companies fail to introduce a new and working model. Perhaps partly out of fear? The step into the unknown is (too) big. Unfortunately, there are no ready-made universal solutions. Perhaps because every organisation has a different DNA, with different leaders and different employees in a different culture.

Yes, we can

Is everything hopeless then? No, of course not. What can be done? First of all, there is a big difference between starting up a new organisation and transforming an existing one. Those who can start from scratch find it easier to set the rules. Change management is always more delicate. After all, humans are conservative by nature. The term 'creativity bias' comes to mind here: even those who say we need to innovate will often opt for the safest (read: least innovative) solution. And yet it is possible. I am convinced that a lot has to do with believing in the feasibility of a transformation. The statement attributed to Henry Ford sums it up nicely for me:

“Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right.”

As soon as someone in an organisation (in the right position) firmly believes in an alternative, it has a chance. With the right amount of perseverance and persuasiveness, a lot can be achieved. It is important to know your organisation well. You need to know how best to approach your actions. Who will agree immediately and from whom can you expect more resistance? Always surround yourself with supporters first. The chance that you can convince others to go along with you increases as you build up a substantial group that thinks along the same lines as you.

Where do I start innovating?

Nowhere, really. You don't have to feel responsible for doing it all yourself. Believe in your people. They know and can do more than you might think. I see a lot of organisations around me that are stuck in the old ways because their leaders don't immediately know how to take steps forward and don't ask their people that question either. Involve your employees and challenge them to contribute their ideas.

Facilitate the environment

Our image of God has evolved from a punishing God, high in heaven, looking down on mankind, to a God who offers opportunities, time and again, but where man himself is responsible for his actions. We see the same evolution in our companies. When I think back to the situations I know from the film Daens and the stories of my grandparents, I see the same ruler as boss. This way of leading – you do this because I tell you to – no longer works. The employer is no longer a god. Leaders in the twenty-first century are facilitators who help their colleagues to achieve our objectives as effectively as possible. The first thing they need to facilitate is the right environment. If you want to give bottom-up innovation a chance of success, it is crucial that your employees feel that they can contribute to the innovation of their organisation. From top to bottom, every employee has a few suggestions for improvement in mind. We want to get those on the table. That will only work if your employees know that 'my ideas are welcome'. In fact, they need to know that we need them, that we are counting on them. And that we take their ideas seriously. After all, every employee knows their part of our organisational story better than anyone else. So they also know what can be improved.

Idea time

So give your people the time and support they need to get started with their ideas. And that time should not be limited to evenings and weekends! If you really want to take innovation seriously, you have to make time for it. "Yes, but there is still so much operational work to be done. We simply don't have the time." Nonsense, of course. You make time for what is really important! Or are you going to go to work unwashed from now on because you are too busy???

Support

As a manager, you need to ensure that your people can actually work on their ideas. They need time, space and support. Encourage them, even if you are not (yet) convinced by their story. Be open and try to understand. Put them in touch with the right people in your network. Who can help them? Open communication is crucial here. Share information. Engage in constructive debate with mutual respect and dare to admit that you may have been wrong. Make connections. Bring people into contact with each other. Make time for coffee. Tea is fine too, of course. And laugh. Make jokes. Create a relaxed atmosphere. If you don't enjoy your work and your challenges, there will be little or no initiative for innovation.

Feedback

Of course, all these suggestions and ideas must also fit into the bigger picture. It would be a shame if people put a lot of time and energy into flawed initiatives that do not contribute to the current priorities. That is why people with an overview of the whole picture (i.e. leaders) must assess all ideas and provide the right feedback, openly and honestly. This step is crucial. If you get this wrong, people will lose interest and you will be back to square one. To do this correctly, you need to know what does and does not fit. You need a touchstone. That touchstone corresponds to the mission and vision of our organisation. Perhaps it would be a good idea to have your mission carved into stone?

Vision is the basis for innovation

This was the conclusion reached by British Professor Doctor Neil Anderson in his research. Know where you stand and where you want to go. And make sure all your employees know this too. Clear and lived, in other words. Vision is not a text in a frame on the wall. Vision is knowing where we want to go and working together to get there.

Through trial and error

Does all this mean that we will no longer make mistakes and that we will only generate successful innovation ideas from now on? Unfortunately not. By definition, you do not (yet) know whether new things will be successful. And it is precisely this uncertainty that should not be a reason not to try. Our current economic climate leaves far too little room for experimentation. As long as we continue to evaluate ideas using the criteria we apply in our day-to-day operations, things will continue to go wrong. After all, we strive for 'operational excellence' and 'failure is not an option'. As long as 100% certainty of success remains a criterion, nothing fundamentally new will emerge.

Party time

It's okay to make mistakes, but of course we're looking for successes. We need to celebrate them, no matter how small. Learn and laugh together. Any reason to celebrate is a good one. Create a warm and open atmosphere where you can enjoy the good things together and where everyone feels at home. And it really doesn't always have to be big or expensive. Teach your people that every step in the right direction really counts. That way, everyone will see that you genuinely want to work differently and will do so. In this simple and, preferably, playful way, you can build lasting change that will eventually become an essential part of your organisation. Innovation is not a department. We all innovate together, every day. Step by step, through a whole host of small things. Because we all know where we want to go and are open to the opportunities that come our way.