Innovation Culture is an important aspect of any Enterprise Centre such as ours. It should be a centrical part of the eco system of the organisations where ideas can be created and developed and acted upon.

But how do we encourage and grow this atmosphere and culture?

These are a few simple ways to develop and grow your enterprise culture in your organisation.

• Encourage open discourse. Ask your team regularly how we can change to become better. Is there a different way of doing things? What can we do differently to allow our organisation to become more successful?
• You must be the First. Your team must know that you believe in the innovation process, and you strive yourself to develop and grow the innovation culture that you are telling them to be a part of. This starts at the top and you must be innovative and contribute also to get the buy in from all your team.
• When the opportunity comes to add or develop your team further look for those team members that have open minds and welcome change. You want team members that think innovation. Look for team members that come form different experiences.
• Reward those that contribute. Not all ideas and concepts are actionable or in the best interests of the organisation, but all ideas should be acknowledged and rewarded. The team needs to see that you value all contributions.
• Listen and learn. Allow your team the freedom to experiment, create and challenge what is already in place. Remember what has brought you success in the past may not bring you success in the future. Change can very often bring enormous positives to the organisation.
• External feedback. Allow your team to meet groups from outside the organisation –Customers, Suppliers, service providers, guest speakers, consultants etc. Having a unbiased and fresh look at things form outside the organisation can be exciting and liberating for those within the organisation.
• Follow through. If you accept the great ideas & creativity in your team, then for the process to flourish they must see the changes on the ground. Their ideas once agreed upon and are in line with company goals etc must then be actioned.
• Track. Monitor and track the creativity form your team. Track the success and failures. Hard data can give a great view of the creative process.