TAKE ACTION!

            1.    Commit to your Innovation Mandate.

                       Innovation is just as important to your organization as sales, production, finance, or any other area of activity. It needs to be a part of your organization’s DNA. Remember—if you don’t innovate and seek ways to do your job better and better, you will fall behind and ultimately perish, just like the dinosaurs.

            2.    Customize your approach to fit your organization.

                       Just like DNA, which is different for every human being (even, according to new evidence, identical twins), your company’s DNA is unique. While there are clear concepts for creating a culture of innovation, which is what this book is all about, the exact expression of those concepts is different for every organization. Beware of innovation consultants bearing boxed one-size-fits-all solutions—they may not work for you!

            3.    Create a positive, happy environment.

                       The human mind is most likely to innovate when it possesses a positive outlook. The spark of innovation can come at any time, and when it does, one of two things can happen: it can be allowed to fizzle out and get cold, or it can be captured and its energy put to good use. New ideas that aren’t captured and evaluated are a form of waste and missed opportunity cost. Keep them working for you!

            4.    Assign responsibility.

                       Innovation means change—sometimes disruptive, sometimes incremental. Consequently, every organization needs someone who has the authority and responsibility to encourage and manage innovation. This could be the CEO, team leaders, or a dedicated chief innovation officer (CIO).