Food for thought: Innovation is more than idea generation

I've become increasingly fascinated with where ideas come from and how to generate more and better ideas and bring them to life. I've also been studying horticulture for a few years and am increasingly clear that there are some powerful analogies between the two. Here are a few:

1. In an average patch of ground there are millions of seeds ready to germinate and just waiting for the right environment - light, water, warmth etc - but until they get their particular requirements they will never come to life.
2. Germination of a seed needs a particular trigger and for some seeds they need particular help to get through their protective coat - this has developed through evolution as a means to avoid being exposed to an unfavourable environment.
3. In their early life after germination plants are at their most vulnerable and can easily die if not nurtured - new plants are unable to handle challenges that more mature plants can take in their stride.
4. Seeds that are well stored will live on and be able to germinate many years later (some Lotus seeds can germinate 2000 years after the flower that created them died).
5. Seeds of successive generations will show small genetic differences, but there will be some mutations that may prove the most valuable if spotted and nurtured. The big money in horticulture is in creating new varieties and protecting that intellectual property.
6. To increase the success rate of germinated seeds reaching healthy maturity, thinning and/or pruning is likely to help.

To create an environment for successful innovation at work, you therefore need to consider:

1. How to explore the ideas that are waiting to be surfaced?
2. How to give them the energy to come to the surface?
3. How to nurture them in their early days?
4. How to store ideas for which the environment is not yet right?
5. How to spot the valuable mutations and extract maximum value from them?
6. How to grow ideas on to maturity with 'thinning' and 'pruning' at the right stage?

A repeating theme of research on innovation is that no. 3 and no. 4 are key factors distinguishing more innovative organisations from less innovative organisations.

What do you think? Email me on alastair.campbell@elevationlearning.co.uk

Alastair Campbell