“Genius is 1% INSPIRATION and 99% PERSPIRATION” – by Thomas Edison
WHAT IS INNOVATION CULTURE? – In the first place, we have to understand the meaning of Innovation Culture, its features, goals and the whole mentality about it.
This conception consists of many dimensional characteristics. Experts say that the foremost thing you always need to have in order to create a successful culture of innovation is a passionate team that is always willing to work to reach common goals.
Moreover you just have to try things and do the work without being afraid of failure, because you cannot expect that innovative and genius ideas come naturally by sitting around a table. As Edison said “Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration”, so the message here is that you should never give up on accomplishing your vision and ideas, which you have in mind.
Strong leaders play also an important role in this case, since they do not only take control over their team without giving them a space to feel and think free.
Therefore great leaders declare their vision clearly, which enables their team-mates to think comprehensively!
HARNESSING CREATIVITY TO FOSTER INNOVATION – e.g. Facebook, an enormously expanded platform with huge power of sharing and connecting. Even its massive user base doesn’t stop the creativity of the company to think big and still make changes that lead to success!
FOUR TYPES OF INNOVATORS – However there are various types of innovators and the way they bring their ideas to life.
- PROACTIVE INNOVATORS – to be oriented towards ambitioned strategic goals to harness creativity and foster innovation, such as Apple or Google.
- PASSIVE INNOVATORS – a kind of innovation routine or a process to boost something new obligatorily.
- REACTIVE INNOVATORS – reacting to customer needs, competitors or technological trends without enabling autonomy.
- RANDOM INNOVATORS – coming up with random and sometimes even successful innovative ideas.
THE WAY WE EXPERIENCE(D) IT –
We, as new-beginners at SAP and specifically in “Service Innovation and Design Thinking” experienced that management plays a huge role in an innovation culture, how ideas are realized and brought to life, because leadership is something infectious and from our point of view the most essential part in reaching successful innovations!
… IN RELATION TO DESIGN THINKING – From our perspective this methodology is probably the most suitable one to encapsulate a true INNOVATION CULTURE, as it always says as a key principle “FAIL EARLY” and “FAIL OFTEN” to bring the best possible ideas to life!
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…With many thanks to our manager Michel Sérié and the team-members of Service Innovation and Design Thinking CoE for all of their support during our internship!
Best Wishes from:
Özge Ölmez (oezge.oelmez@sap.com) – http://de.linkedin.com/in/OezgeOelmez; https://twitter.com/OezgeOelmez
Martin Daum (Martin.daum@sap.com) – https://de.linkedin.com/pub/martin-daum/a0/b30/555
Inessa Laukart (Inessa.laukart@sap.com) – https://de.linkedin.com/pub/inessa-laukart/b9/260/747
