Let innovation be a part of the toolbox

Begin with ‘the box of proposals’!



A search in the Danish newspaper, Børsen, reveals more than 10.000 hits about innovation. Then it is just a matter of choice. Innovation has been on the agenda the last 1000 years and at this very moment, we are looking at Industry 4.0, Disruption, Davos and Global Innovation Index. The harder it gets to be one of the bests, the bigger the need for innovation and creativity.
Denmark became eighth at the Global Innovation Index in 2016. There is room for improvements if we manage to be innovative, which also will lead to a positive effect on the fourfold bottom line. Furthermore, the gross domestic product will follow and rise to unknown heights. Fully financed welfare ahead!
We have a high level of education in Denmark. We communicate easily across the organisation, which means that the prerequisite to increasing innovation efficiency should be present. Our fundamental problem is to realize every single idea in the real world. We need to transform our societal investment into value for our global customers, but also for new efficient solutions in the public sector.
It is not rocket science to increase the innovation efficiency, but ‘only’ a question about creating a culture in the organisation which begins with a management that dare to ask if there are any good ideas or reflections, which can be used to create concrete value from the current knowledge or a knowledge, which can be learned fast. The majority of managements, that I have met, do not know hot to manage ‘the box of proposals’. How do they want to succeed with innovation when they see their employees as active team players? At this moment, the management needs to think and act so they systematically create a culture, which is encouraging and creating innovation – in the time of digitization of course. Therefore, get back on the horse and take the organisational dialogue about what innovation means in your culture and how the process of innovation can be as straight as your invoice process!
Excellent organisations work systematically to increase their innovation efficiency through consistent development where management, processes, organisational dialogue, employee engagement, and other important ingredients are professionally accomplished. The effect is visible for customers, the organisation, society, and owners in the shape of excellent results. That is the way to do it!
Innovation efficiency is one of the eight Fundamental Concepts of Excellence and is known for its way to ‘take advantage of creativity and innovation’. Excellent organisations have renewed ‘the box of proposals’. They have moved themselves from thinking inside the box to creating innovation as an organisational phenomenon.