2015 Outstanding DSL Project

Next: Reinventing Your Future Through Innovation

This manuscript contends that those leading and working in today’s organizations regardless of the industry need to develop a greater focus on innovation as a competitive advantage for future success and sustainability. This starts by developing a new understanding of what innovation is versus what society at large tends to portray it as. When we see a sleek new product enter the marketplace we deem that as innovation. The reality is that is just the end result of a much more elaborate process and this manuscript attempts to break down this process in a way that organizational leaders and employees can implement practically and effectively. Further, it goes on to address key areas of any organization that directly impact the ability to innovate by those in the organization. These areas include leader and follower dynamics, organizational design, strategy, information sharing and learning, values and ethics, organizational culture and human capital development. This manuscript offers tools and suggestions for creating alignment between each of these critical areas and a new or revamped innovation program. Finally, it challenges the reader to reconsider how they are going to go about executing their organizational vision and strategy based on the information in the manuscript and suggests key overarching principles to focus on when attempting to embed a culture of innovation.

By Seth M. Stone