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Updated: August 18, 2022 Ask ACE

Ask ACE: I hear a lot about innovation being the key to success, but how do I do that?

By Matthew Opuda, Northstar Evolution

Q: I hear a lot about innovation being the key to success, but how do I do that? What does it mean for me?

ACE Advises: As long as the world keeps changing, we’ll need to keep innovating. The change doesn’t even need to be global in scale; doing something just a little bit better so it’s a little less of a burden takes innovation just as much as transforming your organization with a new strategic approach. Even at these wildly different scales, innovation has a few constants.

  • Know what you want to accomplish. When your culture supports innovation it happens naturally, but you need a goal. have a goal in mind. This has to be a clear, articulated vision, a guide star.
  • Understand what matters, to whom. If all stakeholders are accounted for, you gain an understanding of what actually matters to them (not just what you think matters to them).
  • Measure what matters in working toward your goal, for your stakeholders. How do you know you’re accomplishing what you are trying to achieve? Set your measures in advance, collect your data consistently, and honestly assess if moved closer to your goal, further from your goal, or in an entirely different direction.
  • Do as little as possible, then do it again. Innovation rarely happens on the first try. Keep your feedback loops short so you can learn from them and adapt for the next try. Then, try again by starting at the top of this list.

This will get you well on your way to innovating, whether it’s that next big thing or just resolving a nuisance in your workplace, but it’s not the end. Your organization’s culture is the single largest contributor to its ability to innovate. Fortunately, the rules of innovation apply to your culture, too. Happy innovating.

Matthew Opuda brings strategic agility, innovation, and transformation to businesses and nonprofits. He co-founded the Midnight Corp. and founded Northstar Evolution. Matthew can be reached at Matthew@NorthstarEvo.com.

For more on this topic, see “What to Know About Innovation” at consultexpertise.com/blog/12612545 and register for his March 18 presentation, “Innovation for Everyone,” at bit.ly/3JGL30b.

About ACE

The Association for Consulting Expertise (ACE) is a nonprofit association of independent consultants who value “Success through Collaboration.” The public is welcome to attend its regular meetings to share best practices and engage with industry experts. For more information go to www.consultexpertise.com.

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