Many CEOs and leaders talk about the importance of innovation in their organisations. But often their words are bland and vague – just a form of management-speak. If you want people to really believe then why not explain exactly what you mean with a Declaration of Innovation. The Declaration of Innovation is a statement of commitment and intent. It should contain the following elements:
a) An explanation of why innovation is critical for the organisation.
b) A list of some of the key areas where innovation is needed – e.g. launching new products or services, breaking into new markets, replacing processes with better ones, finding new ways to source materials, reducing costs, recruiting and motivating people, partnering and so on.
c) A request for every employee to contribute his or her ideas.
d) A commitment to listen and respond to all ideas.
e) A commitment to allocate resources – in particular time, training and money – for creativity, idea development and innovation.
f) An idea management and evaluation process.
g) A determination to look for ideas from all sources including outside the organisation.
h) An affirmation of a positive attitude towards risk and failure. In particular employees will not be criticised or blamed for honest innovative endeavours that do not succeed.
The Declaration of Innovation becomes a manifesto for change in the organisation. It endorses the vision, culture and processes of innovation. It is made available to all employees. New starters get it as part of their documents of employment. It is available on the intranet. It is a powerful reminder to everyone that innovation is not just a buzzword; it is part of the DNA of the organisation.
Taken from The Innovative Leader published by Kogan Page
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