INNOVATION MANAGEMENT
FUTURE
focused leaders
Innovation management systems in various forms have always been essential for continued
success, although not widely understood. In this eight-part series, Dr Benjamin W Watson CEng
CTPD CEnv MIED identifi es the key innovation management principles central to success,
starting with the importance of future-focused leaders
International experts from over 40
national committees have been
developing guidance for innovation
management, with standardised
terminology, tools and methods to manage
interactions between partners, how to
handle intellectual property, strategic
intelligence and, more recently, idea
management.
The cupboards are empty! Organisations
that focus on the short term, think only
about what’s on their plate today and will
go hungry tomorrow. Short termism can be
an innovation killer. Yes, we all agree that
sometimes being in a dif cult situation can
also drive creativity. However, once you start
to compromise your means of production,
where intellectual and experimental
freedom to invent are part of that machine,
you will accelerate towards failure.
Focusing on the future is not simply
a thinking process. Focusing on the future
requires the development of yourself, your
people, the right organisational structures
and the ability to innovate in a reproducible
way. Over time, your organisation will become
increasingly effective at doing what it does.
Unfortunately, this can threaten future
innovation and growth. You start to build your
own organisational culture that becomes
a type of ‘auto-immune system’ that can
supress challenges to the status quo.
Future-focused leaders often see what
others don’t. Whilst persevering through
uncertainty with boundary-breaking purpose,
they still need support.
Innovation
Management
Principles 8 1/
Develop yourself and your people,
continuously engaging people to achieve
this:
1. In the rst instance, give express
‘permission’ to yourself, and to others, to
focus on the future. This can be reinforced
with supportive organisational structures
2. Know the difference between strategic
innovation and more tactical innovation*,
rewarding leaders that constructively
challenge the status quo and balance
these priorities for near-term and future
opportunities
3. Use foresighting initiatives to support
your strategic direction, building an
inspiring vision for you to grow into, aligned
throughout the organisation
4. Identify and nurture the entrepreneurial
mind-set, with methodologies for future
focus, developing and supporting these
leaders operating in vulnerable new
spaces.
*STRATEGIC INNOVATION
Strategic Innovators operate at the edge
of new spaces, developing proprietary
positions for new solutions. As futurefocused
leaders, they not only adapt to,
but also shape, external market forces
to the advantage of the organisation,
increasing the likelihood of technology
transfer success, building channels from
insight through to innovation.
With the right implementation, the
Innovation Management Systems (IMS)
standard aims to support organisations
seeking sustained innovation success,
developing their ability to lead innovation
activities, embed design and innovation
into their organisation, helping to ensure
good practice is followed.
Learn more: bw@everside.co.uk
Dr Benjamin W Watson
International Expert Work Group for innovation
Management Systems. ISO/TC279. Innovation
Leader, 3M. Trustee and Councillor, Institution
of Engineering Designers.
www.ied.org.uk 23
/www.ied.org.uk
link