Innovation Killers to Avoid

A lot of things can go wrong on the long journey between the birth of an innovative idea and its actual implementation. Potential breakthroughs fail for many reasons, with even worthy concepts falling victim to the hazards of the development process, a situation that is all the more perilous in this era of stripped-to-the-bone budgets and thin staffs.

The pitfalls for innovation are more likely the result of bad planning than a lack of creativity. There can be a failure to appreciate communications skills, or confusion about what exactly innovation is. In the end, a successful outcome is as much about people as it is intellectual brilliance.

Here are eight innovation killers to avoid:

1. Rejecting Small Opportunities
Any idea that furthers strategy can lead to valuable innovation.

2. Maintaining Familiar Metrics
Standard operating procedure and routine schedules and budgeting won’t work.

3. Rewarding Only Pre-Set Goals
Innovation is about discovery along the way.

4. Sequestering Innovators
The “I-team” must work with other departments to keep business goals in mind.

5. Not Leveraging Diversity
Multiple talents and interests sharing a unified focus yield innovation.

6. Overemphasizing New Products and Capabilities
Improvement of existing products and services matters too.

7. Ignoring Interpersonal Skills
Smarts matter, but so does the ability to collaborate.

Avoiding innovation killers is essential. Have you identified any other innovation killers? Have you identified any techniques that keep innovation killers at bay?