I recently wrote about innovation and change within an organization. I’d like to explore this topic a bit more with examples.
When the innovation is viewed only as a change, there is an immediate conflict with the accepted standards or norm.
I find it interesting that some organizations don’t handle the two movements in their organization very well. One or the other will find itself disenfranchised for such a time as management has no use for them until the need arises and the roles reverse. You go from “zero to hero” because you are the one with the answer.
“We need a new product to serve market X”, says management. “We’ll get right on it!” says the Innovation camp who detail a wonderful product designed to make the market drool.
“This new product can’t be produced using our organization’s current process.” says a junior Innovation member.
“That is not our problem,” says a senior Innovation member
Operations begin and product rolls off the line. 60% of the initial production is returned.
“This isn’t working,” says management. “We can’t control the product quality.”
“That’s because all of the standards have become obsolete with this new product. Don’t worry, we’ll define some new ones.” says the Standards camp.
Production comes to a halt until standards are developed for the innovation. Then several more weeks for training.
The moral of the story is that Innovation must drive but Standardization must orchestrate the process to carefully control the outcome. In a healthy organization they communicate and collaborate.