Creating an Innovate Climate

People are expressions of commitment at the strategic level.

There are different factors that help create the climate for innovation. The following lists some of those factors and how they influence innovative behavior.

• Motivation - People are driven to make their mark on the world and are motivated by the degree to which they feel able to do so. Staff can be highly motivated by recognition of their contribution form both peers and superiors.
• Availability of slack resources - People need resources to experiment with. They need time and space to explore and create.
• Leadership - People need role models who exemplify key values and who support innovation in actions as well as words. They need leaders who consistently provide resources and motivation. People are expressions of commitment at the strategic level.
• Direction - Innovation needs to be seen as strategically targeted and not just for the sake of it. People will use measurement to drive improvement if they are motivated from within.
• Self Development - It is important to help people continue to learn and acquire and use key skills.
• Enabling tools and resources - To contribute to the innovation task, people need training in systematic approaches to problem finding and solving.
• Learning - Learning helps people reflect on innovation experience. It builds and extends understanding to guide action.
• It encourages people to experiment.
• Learning can be shared across the company.

ACTION POINT: Reinforce the factors that contribute to a climate of innovation.