Dedicated Butts in Dedicated Seats

I believe there are 5 steps to follow to innovate from within, and today, I want to talk about Step 2. If you missed Step 1, check our most recent blog post to learn about “Believing You Can Get It Done.”

In order to innovate from within effectively, you need to be dedicated to the effort. Simply asking people to innovate during their spare time will not cut it.

Step #2 on How to Innovate from Within:

Dedicated Butts in Dedicated Seats

You’ve got to have dedicated staff, space and budgets. You need a physical space where your staff can hang out (even if your company is remote!) and an actual budget so they don’t have to beg for every thousand dollars. 

For instance, you should be able to go out and buy an iPad for your company without submitting a requisition for it 6 weeks in advance. Innovation does not happen in your spare time. I’ve watched many company speeches where CEOs say, “We’re an innovative company, we’re transforming, we’re going completely digital,” yet they won’t approve an iPad purchase. Something like an iPad can be something so simple yet so necessary for the growth of a company, and you need to make sure you have room in your budget for these types of expenses.

Companies that tell people to innovate in their spare time leave employees wondering, “What spare time? I’m already working 5 days a week plus half Saturdays. When am I supposed to innovate?”

If you want to be serious about innovation, give your team a budget that they have discretionary control over, give them a physical space that they don’t share with anybody else, and let them sit in one seat dedicated to innovation.

Important Question to Ask Yourself this Week:

Am I giving my employees the time they need to innovate from within? Should I consider hiring a Head of Innovation?