Here is the second part from a list of tools I included in SPARK:
- Focus on Open Communication – One of the stumbling blocks to which many innovative teams fall victim is a feeling of disconnectedness from the rest of the company. Many times, it feels like nobody really cares. Likewise, others in the company might feel the special group is full of dreamers doing nothing to achieve the goals of the company. The key is to appoint a co-creation evangelist on the team whose job is communicating with the rest of the organization about what the team is doing. Invite others to participate in the team’s co-creation.
- Support Varied Innovation – Innovation is a messy business. Mark’s experience at Nike proves it is critical to try lots of different avenues to birth successful innovation. Look at an innovation problem from many different angles. Support different efforts in pursuing co-creation with different stakeholders. One team might pursue co-creating new innovation with a supplier while another team gains the customer perspective.
- Identify Generalists – Often the strongest person in the innovation process is a generalist inside the company. Early in Mark’s career, one of his bosses recognized that he was a generalist who knew a lot about many different aspects of making shoes. Mark’s broad knowledge gave him a unique ability not only to work with others, but also to see connections that others might not. Identify generalists that can benefit the innovation team. They will bring a new perspective to the co-creative process.
