"What you always do before you make a decision is consult. The best public policy is made when you are listening to people who are going to be impacted. Then, once policy is determined, you call on them to help you sell it." - Elizabeth Dole

When you have finally decided to enter into the arena of creative thought and innovative new products/services to leverage new ideas and gain competitive advantage, what do you do next?  This is a common problem in organizations today.  They know they need to do something to become more creative and innovative, but they don't know where to start, what to do and who to involve.  Unfortunately, since they don't know what action to take to get the ball rolling, the program is often put on the back burner as new challenges and problems take more immediate attention.

We have talked previously about putting the right systems, processes and metrics in place for successful innovation.  We've also talked in the past about senior leadership's role and responsibility for ensuring support in innovation systems.  But I realized that we really haven't talked about all of the other very important people that make up a successful innovation/idea management program.

Let's take a look at the key innovation-related roles in any great program:

• Senior Leadership/CxO/SVP Level:
• We've talked at great length about this, but the role senior leaders must play is one of support, decision-making, culture change and overall corporate strategic direction.  These leaders must ensure that there is a strong vision, mission and culture for the organization and that any innovation program aligns with that vision, mission and culture.
• CInnovO/VP of Innovation/Director of Innovation/Innovation Champion Level:
• This level of leadership needs to provide the strategic direction of the innovation program, assist idea generators in moving their ideas forward, oversee the formation of business cases designed to implement ideas, provide the systems and processes necessary for a successful program, ensure a good blend of both incremental and breakthrough innovations within the project portfolio and constantly communicate/champion the program.
• Idea Champion/Middle Manager Level:
• These are the key leaders in culture change, support and idea management.  Without middle management support, your innovation program is dead.  These leaders are the one's who ensure that employees have time to think and that all ideas, no matter how ridiculous, are considered.  They also assist their employees in refining their ideas into something that can be prototyped or aligns with a business/customer need.
• Idea Generator/Employee/Customer/Vendor/Supplier Level :
• This level is where the fragile ideas are born and hopefully allowed to grow into something that provides your organization with competitive advantage.  This group needs to have the ability to think differently, to never be satisfied with the status quo, to be challenged in providing thought leadership, to not be afraid to fail, to allow themselves time to think about problems/solutions and to have the courage to share their ideas with the organization.
• Idea Program Support Level:
• These are the people who lend their support to the overall innovation management program.  Be it administrative assistants, program/project management professionals, technical teams, business analysts, or anyone who helps bring ideas to reality

Remember, no matter how great your processes, systems, technology, or culture, it is the people that develop the ideas, that make the systems work, that support and add to the culture of success and that make the overall innovation program the thing that provides you with the competitive advantage you seek.  Or...as Walt Disney put it:

"You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality."

Thanks for being patient during the blog re-design activities.  I hope the new site design makes it a little easier to read and add your comments.

Have a GREAT week!!!