The greatest innovation takes place in environments that are inclusive, cognitively diverse, and supportive of creativity and risk-taking, according to panelists in our webinar on how to kickstart innovation on your team.
“Innovation isn’t just about ideas,” said Karim Morgan Nehdi, CEO of Herrmann. “Yes, a big idea is part of it, but it’s rooted in empathetic insight. It’s strengthened by a process of friction and collaboration with others and bringing other perspectives into the process.”
If you’re seeking to build a stronger culture of innovation within your organization, check out what Karim, along with Kyle Munoz, senior director of Operational Excellence Capabilities for Pfizer Global Supply; and Tony Herbach, Account Executive, Large Enterprise, Healthcare, Pharma & Manufacturing at Starmind, had to say.
Allow for a More Expansive Definition of Innovation
How do you define innovation? Your answer may offer a clue to your HBDI® profile.
If you’re a more analytical (Blue) thinker, you might define it as solving problems with data and evidence. Or perhaps you tap into your practical (Green) thinking and see innovation as developing efficient systems or products. The relational Reds might say that innovation results from collaboration to create meaningful change, whereas the experimental (Yellow) thinkers might see innovation as thinking creatively and imagining future possibilities.
Overwhelmingly, 76% of webinar attendees selected the Yellow answer in a quick poll — thinking creatively and imagining future possibilities.
But this is a bit of a trick question because innovation requires all four of these components. “Innovation is really a Whole Brain® activity,” Karim said. Successful innovation requires looking at things from multiple perspectives, from generating new ideas and having a deep empathy for user needs to creating a plan for implementation and a business model for sustainability.
Designing Organizational Structure That Sustains Innovation
Creating a culture of innovation requires more than just having a diverse team. It also requires creating a safe space where individuals feel empowered to share their ideas and challenge the status quo. This involves fostering psychological safety, encouraging risk-taking, and embracing a certain level of constructive conflict.
And that starts at the top. “I like to have real honest conversations with leaders,” Kyle said. “They say they want to be innovative, [but] are they willing to make that leap? Are they willing to put trust in people? Are they willing to not be the person that always has the answers? Those are some real hard questions I think that organizations have to ask themselves.”
And while it may seem counterintuitive to some people, it turns out that by making the innovation process more structured, it actually becomes easier to include diverse perspectives and experiences from across the organization. Kyle offered insights into how Pfizer operationalizes innovation inside the supply chain, using a systematic behavioral platform and a phased approach aligned with the Herrmann Whole Brain® Thinking model.
Don’t Let FOMU Hold You Back
One of the big hindrances to innovation in global teams, according to Tony: Fear Of Messing Up (FOMU). Once that kicks in, people become afraid to share their ideas. “They are averse to putting them out there because of this fear of messing up. When you are not able to confirm your ideas, to confront them with people from around your team, then you also don’t build that trust in your project, in your idea, in your innovation,” he explained.
It can be scary to start those first conversations, but it gets easier — and you’ll get better at it. “The more you get to have your idea challenged, the more you know, you build the resistance to that, and you feel ready to actually bring it … up the chain,” he said.
Workplace hierarchies and preconceived notions about who is qualified to contribute to a discussion or project can also play a role in stifling innovation. This issue is so common that Starmind built its AI-powered expertise directory to make it possible for people to ask their questions anonymously, which made it possible for people to share their ideas without fear of judgment or negative consequences.
Kyle heads off those issues by explaining upfront that everyone in her workshops was chosen to be there for a reason and reminding them that the workshop is just one part of a structured innovation program. For many people, just knowing that gives them confidence to step outside their comfort zone. “We don’t greenlight things. We greenhouse them. We’re not agreeing to them. We’re not judging them.”
Finally, Karim encouraged leaders to share stories of failure and how these experiences can lead to progress. That little bit of vulnerability can help build trust across the organization.
Go From Idea to Impact in Your Organization
Innovation is more than just generating new ideas. It involves developing efficient systems or products, collaborating to create meaningful change, and thinking creatively to imagine future possibilities. Above all, creating a culture of innovation in an organization requires leadership support, transparency, trust, and cross-functional collaboration.
Learn more about how Whole Brain® Thinking can help your teams become more innovative.
