At the beginning of the year we often consider how we can transform ourselves. But how do we transform our business to become more innovative? Here are 5 Innovative new years resolutions for your business:
1. Make goals – Starting the new year many organisations re-examine their strategy and goals. Innovation should not be omitted from those goals. During strategic planning, organisations should be asking themselves what specifically do we want to achieve through innovation? Are their new markets to break into? New competitive products to develop? How will your innovation strategy contribute to, and advance those goals?
2. Cut the fat – Take the opportunity to ask employees where they think bureaucracy, administration and process is hindering them rather than helping them. Employees are those who need to work within the systems that administrators have designed so, more often than not, they can see exactly where the fat can be cut and are usually the ones who are continually frustrated by unwieldy systems. Give them an ear and help them to do their job more efficiently by working with them to eliminate unnecessary administration.
3. Get active – If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got. It’s time to do something different if you want to achieve different and enhanced results. What action do you need to take to make innovation work for you? What is stopping or hindering innovation? Put some measurable innovation related objectives in place so that you end 2018 more innovatively than you started.
4. Do something you love – Many people have creative and artistic passions outside of their day job. Some people love art and crafts, others play instruments in bands and others are active and love to get outdoors. Consider how you might bring some creativity and alternative stimulus into peoples day jobs, even if it’s small things like having off-site team meetings, promoting the use of mind maps, allowing a bit of back ground music where appropriate or making the office space a bit more interesting. Let’s be honest, many peoples day jobs can be a bit un-stimulating, think of some ways to bring some passion back into the workplace.
5. Work on your relationships – Break down those silo’s. People who work together in a diverse environment and across different functions will have a wider understanding of the organisation and will be able to make more neural connections, resulting in more and better ideas to improve and develop the organisation. Encourage collaboration, sharing and cross-functional teams by bringing people together on projects and activities.
What else are you doing in 2018 to make your organisation more innovative? If you need any support or training during the year please do reach out to us at Richmond Innovation and let us advise on how we can help. Just send an enquiry via the online form.
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