TAKE ACTION!

            1.    Start with an accurate diagnosis of your organization.

                       You can’t make a plan unless you know where you’re starting from. Be honest. Don’t sugarcoat reality. If you have work to do to create a robust Innovation Mandate, then do it.

            2.    Ensure you have commitment from the top.

                       I’ve said it before and it bears repeating: absent a powerful message of support from leadership, your employees will likely assume a default position of risk avoidance. They will play it safe, because no one can blame you if you do what you’re told and don’t make any mistakes. This is not what you want! Your organization needs a constant sparking of new ideas, and you need to be clear that new ideas are both wanted and expected.

            3.    Lay the groundwork for success.

                       Review the key functional areas—your people, finances, the nuts and bolts, and the paperwork. Ensure that they all work together to support innovation. Set metrics for measuring innovation success.

            4.    Celebrate success, learn from failures.

                       Don’t be coy or secretive. When a new idea works, make sure everyone knows, and identify the people responsible. Avoid monetary rewards, because you don’t want that to become the primary motivator.

                       When failures happen, identify them quickly and delete them. Let your people know that sincere failures are expected, and that every failure is one step closer to a breakthrough. Keep the focus on always trying to fulfill the mission of your organization.