The 4 Basics of Establishing an Innovative Culture

And Why You Should be Implementing Them NOW.

Every entrepreneur understands that, to be successful, their idea must be unique and creative. But what happens when that idea takes hold? Does every entrepreneur understand the importance of building a culture on these very fundamentals? It’s a very basic idea, but one that seems often forgotten over time as a company grows. If you’re the leader of a start-up or an expansion stage company, it’s time for you establish an innovative culture.

Why?  An innovative culture embraces creative thinking. Vision, resourcefulness, and originality are genuine values in these companies. In reality, these form the very foundation of the idea that your company was built upon. Strive for this early-on in your organization’s development, and you will avoid getting stuck in a culture that quickly becomes less flexible due to structure and process.

An innovative culture is also essential to attracting top talent, particularly within the tech industry and among Generation Y job seekers. It’s generally linked to higher job satisfaction and loyalty, which is essential to employee retention, particularly in today’s competitive talent war. But, again, it’s essential to do this now and preserve that culture as you grow so that you can sustain successfulness and happiness among your earliest employees.

What about inventive products, additional market segments, new customers and imaginative marketing campaigns? Fostering an innovative culture will encourage your employees to discover a variety of ways to differentiate your company, products and employees against your competition. And it’s likely that your competition has already realized this, too.

Are you ready to establish an innovative culture?  I’ve identified four basic elements that will help you get started.

1. Commitment. Embrace and embody the idea of innovation, and be sure that your company’s leadership does,too. Recognizing the importance of establishing an innovative culture is just one step in the process, but finding a way to make it meaningful across the organization is critical. Be prepared to assess your organization and the processes you already have in place. There will be changes. There may be resistance. This is why your commitment and that of your leadership team is critical.
2. Communicate. Don’t just tell your employees that this is the new culture at your next quarterly meeting. Give this idea prominence! Explain to your employees what innovative means and why you think it is important. Allow discussion and ideas. Begin to embrace vision and creativity immediately.
3. Empower. Your employees will be the ambassadors of innovation…let them create! Give them ownership and opportunities to implement their ideas. Foster discussion and ideas by scheduling brainstorming sessions that are open to the whole company. Encourage working relationships across teams, and support continued learning with professional development and mentorship programs.
4. Recognize. The best way to promote your company’s culture is by recognizing your employees who are adopting it. Acknowledgement can come in a variety of forms, depending upon the idea and impact to the overall organization – an award for “innovator of the month,” a spot bonus, or company dinner. Some companies are even rewarding creative failures, harnessing the idea that it’s OK to make a mistake for the sake of innovation.

Companies now, more than ever, are recognizing that innovation is the key to their success. And their employees are, too. Successfully establish an innovative culture through commitment, communication, empowerment, and recognition and you will soon begin to reap the rewards as well.

In my next post, I’ll discuss some of the creative things you can do to truly empower your employees to get creative.