It Happens...
Posted by Paul Williams at 3/4/2008 8:02 AM and is filed under Consulting,innovation management,Creative Problem Solving,Idea Management 
One of my "Current Clients" has just become a "Former Client." It happens.
Changes in leadership...changes in strategy...changes in the market. It happens.
"Imagine the Future" has been replaced with "Follow The Leader." It happens.
"Innovation Management" has been replaced with "Process Improvement." It happens.
"What Could Be" has been replaced with "That's Too Risky." It happens.
"What Feels Right" has been replaced with "That Can't Be Measured." It happens.
"Finding Another Way" has been replaced with "Exceeds Variance Limit." It happens.
"Exploration" has been replaced with "Follow The Process." It happens.
Luckily, for every client I have lost due to this kind of change in direction, I have gained three new clients. Are you one of the next three who gets it?
Changes in leadership...changes in strategy...changes in the market. It happens.
"Imagine the Future" has been replaced with "Follow The Leader." It happens.
"Innovation Management" has been replaced with "Process Improvement." It happens.
"What Could Be" has been replaced with "That's Too Risky." It happens.
"What Feels Right" has been replaced with "That Can't Be Measured." It happens.
"Finding Another Way" has been replaced with "Exceeds Variance Limit." It happens.
"Exploration" has been replaced with "Follow The Process." It happens.
Luckily, for every client I have lost due to this kind of change in direction, I have gained three new clients. Are you one of the next three who gets it?
That is disappointing. And not because you've lost a client. That that client has lost an opportunity.
You can feel it. They're so close to moving away from the same ol' same ol'... The team actually starts to get excited and energized. (You can see them looking at the faces of their co-workers to see if *they* are becoming excited as well).
Suddenly - the quiet perk up with great suggestions. There is a re-birth of excitement...
And then, as you said, leadership changes and it's back to the old crap.
Hopefully the smart minds are able to find a role that allows them to truly make a difference...
(This is partly why adults have a hard time being imaginative and childlike... When they let their guard down and start having fun again... an adult plops in and destroys the creative vibe).
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Paul:
You hit it almost exactly on the head!
It was amazing...the grassroots support came from everywhere. I had department managers coming up to me asking for training and idea gen facilitation. People came out of the woodwork asking to be a part of the team.
But, like I said, it happens. In this particular organization, rigid process improvement methodology rules the roost and it won this round.
Just another classic, yet disappointing, example of the struggle between the enablers and killers of innovation.
Thanks for the comment!
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