Influencing Leadership

Focused on communicating to and influencing leadership (ex: “How do I get funding for this project?”)

What Job-Hunting Teaches Us about the Value of Innovation

Anyone who has ever been on the hunt for a new corporate job knows that it can be one of the most difficult and frustrating processes in the world. The Internet has given us the tools to apply for thousands of different jobs every day, but it has also presented its own problems: application systems with no easy answers, automation, and stiff competition make the ease of online applications less attractive.

Ideascale2021-12-14T13:33:00-08:00October 23rd, 2017|Categories: Innovation Psychology|Tags: employee recruitment, hiring, HR, innovation skills, innovation value, job hunting, knowledge, knowledge sharing, recruitment|

Do We Need a Digital Bill of Rights?

That the new Apple iPhone X uses facial-recognition software (FRS) to unlock the device rather than a pin or fingerprint, underlines the importance of this burgeoning technology. We will likely see a massive spread in the use of FRS which will bring many benefits but some serious risks which we need to start addressing now.

Ideascale2021-12-14T13:23:30-08:00September 21st, 2017|Categories: Trend Alert|Tags: AI, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, digital bill of rights, facial recognition, future of innovation, policy, privacy, Technology|

Here’s Why Consistency is Your Greatest Asset

Whether you’re an executive, a manager, or part of the team handling day-to-day operations, you’ve probably thought more than once about what you bring to the table within your organization. What do you feel is your greatest asset? Chances are, consistency never tops the list—but perhaps it should.

Ideascale2021-12-14T13:19:49-08:00September 18th, 2017|Categories: Strategies|Tags: actions, burnout, Communication, consistency, leadership, motivation, reliability, talent, trust, vision|

6 Reasons Some People Are Uncomfortable with Innovation

When we talk about innovation, we sometimes forget that not everyone is on board with the new and revolutionary. Some people would rather stick to their same schedule and do the same thing, day after day: a predictable and comforting routine. For champions of innovation, this mindset is difficult to understand. However, you’re likely to meet many people over the course of your career who are simply uncomfortable with innovation, and you will have to learn to work with them. The first step to compromise is understanding, so let’s take a look at some of the reasons people are sometimes uncomfortable with innovation.

Ideascale2021-12-20T16:47:26-08:00July 19th, 2017|Categories: Innovation Psychology|Tags: caution, Change Management, Creativity, innovation blockers, innovation psychology, innovative people, risk aversion, risk management, threat|

The Eight Attributes of Bottom-Up Innovation Leaders

Bottom-up innovation is fueled by many ideas initiated by employees, as opposed to top-down innovation, which is fueled by a strong vision - often by the company’s founder. Bottom-up innovation leaders are entrepreneurial, supported by management’s emphasis on creativity and a can-do culture, and often share these eight attributes.

Ideascale2021-12-14T07:34:48-08:00February 28th, 2017|Categories: Column & Opinion, Leadership, Organization & Culture|Tags: bottom-up, bottom-up innovation, bottom-up leadership, Change Management, coaching, Communication, Creativity, employee driven, Employee Engagement, entrepreneur, ideas, in-depth article, innovation champion, innovation leader, innovation team, inspiration, motivation, new markets, passion, talent, team diversity, top talent, vision|

Using Design Thinking to make your employees ready for the Internet-of-Things

Recent advances in technology put Internet-of-things (IoT)-innovation on top of the management agenda across industries. It is predicted to increase economic value by $11.1 trillion in 2025 (McKinsey 2015). The Service Science Factory and Noventum collaborated on this article to present a state-of-the art view on the Internet of Things and how to implement this vision within organizations.

Ideascale2021-12-14T06:37:50-08:00February 16th, 2017|Categories: Strategies|Tags: automation, business alignment, business development, Competition, decision making, design thinking, disruptive innovation, disruptive technology, ecosystem, enterprise innovation, idea management, Ideation, Innovation Culture, IoT, mindset, MNC, opportunity, pitch idea, portfolio management, service innovation, smart products, Technology, trend|

5 Most Influential Innovators of the 21st Century

Ever since the beginning of mankind, there has always been someone who pushes the human race forward, such as the cavemen who learn how to make fire or the Native American Indians who sharpened stones to create weapons. With the advancement of technology in the 21st century these innovators: Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Sheryl Sandberg, Mark Zuckerberg and Sheila Lirio Marcelo are creating new ways to travel, interact with others and access professionals for help.

Ideascale2021-11-16T13:14:54-08:00January 31st, 2017|Categories: Column & Opinion|Tags: accountability, apple, autonomy, company culture, effective innovator, Elon Musk, facebook, hierarchy, Innovation Culture, innovation team, innovative people, inspiration, leadership, Mark Zuckerberg, serial innovators, steve jobs, team building, Tesla|

Why Top Executives Do Not Get Innovation – and What to Do About It

Many leaders of corporate innovation efforts struggle to get the support they need from executives higher up in the organization. Top executives can be skilled at talking the talk about innovation, especially in public venues, but frequently fail to walk the walk when it comes to making key choices that determine whether an innovation project will happen or die on the vine.

Ideascale2021-12-07T16:04:15-08:00October 27th, 2016|Categories: Enabling Factors, Leadership|Tags: barriers to innovation, c-suite, CEO, challenge, Collaboration, Communication, control, corporate innovation, enterprise innovation, innovation blockers, Innovation Culture, Innovation Strategy, innovation success, innovation training, knowledge sharing, leadership, micromanagement, networking, risk avoidance, risk management, short-term success, top management, top-down|

Defeating the Corporate Antibodies

Change is frightening to many elements inside the typical organization. Change threatens people’s power, their status, their egos, and, in some situations, even their jobs. Change can make someone’s expertise obsolete and thereby make them obsolete as well. Because people are afraid of change, innovation efforts often cause the eruption of corporate antibodies that fight to kill innovation and maintain the status quo.

Ideascale2021-12-07T16:04:10-08:00October 13th, 2016|Categories: Enabling Factors, Open Innovation, Organization & Culture|Tags: Change Management, Communication, company culture, corporate antibodies, corporate politics, innovation blockers, Innovation Culture, status quo bias|

Innovation: Knowing Where to Begin

Let me see if this situation sounds familiar: you’ve promised your boss that you’ll generate at least one percent growth over last year. You’ve been racking your brain with ideas about how to improve your product or develop a new offering or finding new efficiencies which will help your margins, but the few ideas that you’ve come up with haven’t had legs and pages keep coming off the calendar.

Rob Hoehn2019-10-15T15:22:10-07:00April 12th, 2016|Categories: Idea Management, Open Innovation, Organization & Culture|Tags: Communication, Creativity, Crowdsourcing, front end of innovation, IdeaScale, Innovation Strategy, leadership, objectives, Open Innovation, planning, project planning|

How To Get Support for Your Big Ideas?

Have you ever shared new big ideas at work? What happened...? Did they give you a standing ovation? Did someone bake you a cake to celebrate? Did you get promoted? Or I am a little too optimistic?

Ideascale2021-12-07T15:28:19-08:00November 3rd, 2015|Categories: Front End of Innovation, Idea Management, Leadership|Tags: business case, evaluating ideas, idea management, Ideation, Innovation Culture, pitch, presentation, presenting ideas, risk aversion, risk management|

10 Best Board Practices on Innovation Governance – How Proactive is your Board?

All global business and technology trends point in the same direction: there is a need for more proactive and far-sighted management of innovation. Innovation for business reinforcement and growth – and for transformation in particular – are, of course, the prime responsibility of top management. Innovation governance – a holistic approach to steering, promoting and sustaining innovation – is thus becoming a new management imperative.

Ideascale2021-12-07T15:26:37-08:00October 19th, 2015|Categories: Leadership, Strategies|Tags: Best Practices, company-wide innovation, decision making, goal setting, in-depth article, innovation champion, Innovation Culture, innovation governance, Innovation Leadership, Innovation Management, Innovation Strategy, Jean-Philippe Deschamps, Organization|

Try Using the Institutional Yes

When new ideas are voiced in your company is the typical response ‘yes but…’? If so, you’re really saying ‘No’ and closing the door on new ideas and open-minded employees. Paul Sloane says we could all learn a lesson from Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos by implementing the Institutional Yes.

Ideascale2019-10-15T15:22:35-07:00September 7th, 2015|Categories: Leadership, Organization & Culture|Tags: Communication, creative leadership, Creativity, innovation leader, institutional yes, leadership, negative response|

The Battle Between Innovation and Managers

Innovation initiatives have a habit of causing excitement and expectation; the organisation is trying something different and wanting to do new things. Senior management are anticipating the brand new shiny ideas, and front-line employees can’t wait to be rid of their daily frustrations. So what could go wrong? However, in all this excitement, there’s a group that is usually neglected in the engagement strategy – the middle managers. Often it’s assumed that these managers will support all the company initiatives. It’s their role to toe the line and make sure others do. They’ll buy in surely? Actually, they don’t.

Ideascale2019-10-15T15:21:17-07:00April 7th, 2015|Categories: Organization & Culture|Tags: challenge, Collaboration, disconnect, Employee Engagement, employee satisfaction, enabling factors, Ideation, Innovation Culture, Innovation Management, innovation program processes, leadership, management, manager, middle management, professional development, recognition|

Paving the Path for Innovation Purpose and Closing the Alignment Gap

Defining the organizational purpose and promoting organizational alignment are two key factors for creating a culture that supports innovation. In this series of articles focused on Innovation Culture, we are going to share insights and cases of organizations that implemented innovation programs (and less structured initiatives) with the involvement of a wide range of managers and employees.

Ideascale2019-11-28T09:23:49-08:00October 6th, 2014|Categories: Collaborative Innovation, Leadership, Organization & Culture|Tags: Collaboration, company culture, decision making, Employee Engagement, Failure, innovation champions, Innovation Culture, innovation planning, innovation team, internal communications, leadership style, organizational purpose, organizational structure, trust|