Imagine a CXO who looks tired, stressed and worn down. When this person first took on the role, they were bright, happy and full of ideas. They were motivated by a vision to transform the structure and operations of the organization. Sadly, as happens to most, everyday responsibilities impeded this journey to change. Today, the pressures of increased competition, economic volatility and varying customer expectations direct the CXO to be predominantly concerned with keeping up with the changing environment and staying ahead of the competition. However, this approach only keeps their head above water. In order to become a hero to customers and employees, the CXO must overcome business as usual and move beyond the status quo.

How can this CXO become heroic and overcome such a challenging situation?

It’s simple. The CXO must innovate in order to sustain and grow the business. And to initiate innovation in an organization, it’s all about creating a culture of curiosity. In a culture of curiosity, questions are the backbone of every conversation and the drive behind every action. The right questions lead to exploration which leads to the potential for innovation. A culture of curiosity will revolutionize the experiences of customers and employees. Operating innovatively by engaging in new practices will create new opportunities leading to improved success for your business and your customer’s businesses.

In his book Diffusion of Innovations, Everett Rogers defines innovation as “An idea, practice or object that is perceived as new by an individual or other unit of adoption”. In an organization, there are various forms of innovation. Products, services, company structures and ways of engaging customers can all be innovative. An innovation does not have to be unique to the world, but must be new to those interacting with it and those affected by it. In other words, it must be new to the organization or industry to be innovative.

Be innovative in order to both gain and maintain business

Continuous challenges and changes in the business environment make it imperative for organizations to be innovative in order to both gain and maintain business. Innovation comes from the ability to see what is happening in the market and quickly adapt what you are doing in order to stay ahead of the changes. Additionally, you must observe what your competitors are doing in order to differentiate your organization from them.

But innovation is not just a one-time ’event’. In order to bring sustainable market leadership and success to your organization, you must create a culture that encourages innovation. The culture of your business is ultimately the sum of your actions, and we at SOAR have determined three essentials to creating a culture of curiosity leading to innovative actions in your organization.

The culture you get is in the:

Curiosity is a pre-condition for innovation. Creating a culture of curiosity in your organization will generate more ideas and lead to greater innovation across your organization. We are going to go deeper into each of the three essentials to creating a culture of curiosity and provide insights into how you can achieve the right level of innovation in your organization. Stay innovative, come back for more and follow us for all the latest insights!

 

 

3 Essentials to Leading Innovation in Your Organization Through a Culture of Curiosity