Landscape Analysis, Competitor Analysis, Benchmarking. Organizations of all types carry out these activities from time to time. Landscape Analysis is the broadest of these activities and can include both Competitor Analysis and Benchmarking. It may also include a Needs Assessment, Stakeholder Input, and Environmental Data Collection – often looking at PESTLE aspects of the … [Read more...] about Benchmark for Innovation
innovation
Improve Your After-Action Reviews
Continuous innovation requires continuous learning. One of the best ways to make sure your organization learns continuously is the consistent and effective use of After-Action Reviews. After-Action Reviews have become popular in organizations. However, they are often done sporadically and superficially. A thorough AAR process can help turn failures into successes and … [Read more...] about Improve Your After-Action Reviews
Virtual Brainstorming is Better
The pandemic taught us a lot about working virtually. Some things can actually be done better online – like Brainstorming. The opportunity to be fully anonymous with idea generation and evaluation is one of the things I like best about virtual brainstorming. It also helps to level the playing field between introverts and extroverts, as well as optimists and … [Read more...] about Virtual Brainstorming is Better
Give Me Some Slack!
Recently, I was teaching a group of nonprofit executives about Almost Impossible Goals and Innovation. One of them said “How am I supposed to get staff to spend time on this when they are already booked 100% on other things they are doing?” The answer, of course, is that you need to give people time away from their current projects to do this. And it is not a popular … [Read more...] about Give Me Some Slack!
Leading Innovation
As leaders, we all want to support and lead innovation in our organizations. Unfortunately, we can sometimes get in our own way. According to research reported in Harvard Business Review*, leaders can sometimes fall into five different kinds of traps that “derail” them from effectively leading innovation. Here are the traps and how to avoid them: *Unconscious Neglect … [Read more...] about Leading Innovation