If an organization is to survive, it must innovate. Some go so far as saying that it is a case of “innovate or die”. Indeed, entire books have been written about this now, showcasing how innovation management software for businesses has to be implemented in order to create an organized culture with innovation at its heart.
Those books are important. They show that innovation is about more than having a fantastic idea, great talent, and enough resources. It about keeping that momentum going. Innovation is not a project that starts and ends and can be reviewed afterwards. It is an ongoing, never-ending journey. The key to achieving this is through excellent communication.
Innovation Management Software for Businesses and Communication
If you have chosen your innovation management software and you are ready to implement it, you also have to set the scene for success. This means:
- Identifying multiple formal channels of communication so that everybody can be reached by it. The communication strategy may have to be updated, therefore. Make sure that you use every communication method at your disposal.
- Cross-referencing your innovation initiatives and efforts with your marketing. All communication, including your press releases and marketing communication, should show your commitment to innovation and it should highlight achievements.
- Make sure that there is consistency between your internal and external communications. This is about showing integrity and demonstrating to both your staff and customer that you can be trusted.
- Finding ways to bring people together. Innovation and collaboration go hand in hand, and people must have the ability to collaborate. It is all about proper communication in a consistent, regular manner. You need to think about how you communicate as a leader, because this will serve as an example to others in terms of how they communicate with each other.
- To always keep your staff in the loop with developments. The strategies should be written in plain English and, if there are any changes or developments to the strategy or other efforts, you have make sure that people are told about this. Nothing kills innovation quicker than a manager who pays lip service to their employees.
While all businesses know how important it is to have innovation ingrained in their operations, few organizations have actually gone ahead and done it. The reason for that is not that they are unwilling. Rather, it means that the organization as a whole has to change, and fear and resistance to change is natural. Delving into the unknown is always difficult, but perhaps never more so than for a business. After all, the worst-case scenario is that the business goes under, leaving all its employees out of work. But the reality is also that not innovating is guaranteed to lead to the business going under. It might take a while, but nobody can continue to exist unless they embrace that the world is very different now. Perhaps embracing change is the first innovative idea your own business will have.