Top Ten Ways Companies Kill Innovation

June 5, 2013 By IdeaConnection

bd-bacataWhat is the recipe for business success? If we knew all the answers most of us would be billionaires by now.  But just as important as knowing what contributes to success is having an understanding of what can stop it from ever becoming a reality, and then removing those barriers.

Forbes has compiled a list of the top ten ways that organizations kill innovation. It’s a useful roadmap for those who want to avoid shooting themselves in the foot or going the way of the dinosaurs.

The list was compiled by Ron Ashkenas, a senior partner of Schaffer Consulting, a Stamford, Connecticut consulting firm.  He’s also the author of the book Simply Effective: How to Cut Through Complexity in Your Organization and Get Things Done.

Among the common inhibitors that he lists are:

  • The focus on short-term results drives out ideas that take longer to mature
  • Innovation is someone else’s job and not part of everyone’s responsibilities
  • Managers immediately look for flaws in new ideas rather than tease out their potential
  • Companies look at opportunities through internal lenses rather than starting with customers’ needs and problems

Action Plan

The Forbes article suggests that individuals within a company take a good look at each item on the list to see if, how, and/or the extent that each point may apply to their organization.  And then to come together to discuss the findings and use them as a springboard for a wider dialogue about how to address company culture and make appropriate changes.

To read the full list and accompanying article click here.


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