Without the focus an innovation intent provides, people tend to think innovation belongs to someone else (such as Research and Development) and assume it isn’t part of their job.

The lack of a thoughtfully defined innovation intent also makes it difficult for leade...

Once you have defined the end goal, you need to give people specific goals to reach our larger goals. Every employee should be aware of the importance they play in achieving the company’s goals and how they share responsibility for innovation.

• Communicate trust an...

Here’s a model that any organization can apply to set up its definition of innovation and take a portfolio approach to allocate its time and effort:

• 70% Incremental innovation: small changes in processes, products, services, strategies, etc.
• 20% Sustaining innovati...

Products, services, and even business models become commodities over time. If organizations do not continually invent and reinvent their competitive advantage, they risk being disrupted into obsolescence.

Culture is the only sustainable competitive advantage

• Metrics give us direction. Leaders set goals and measure progress; often this focus on easily measured metrics like speed, efficiency, accuracy, or profits.
• Innovative behaviors are difficult to quantify, and most companies don’t have innovation metrics.

Culture is the collection of unwritten rules, norms, and values that influence people’s behavior. When it comes to innovation, especially disruptive innovation, an organization’s culture can be either the rocket fuel or death knell of an organization’s ability to grow and thrive....

Here are some examples of innovation intent statements that can do just that:

• Finance: To deliver financial insight that drives strategic business decisions, new market opportunities, and the innovation process.
• HR