Why are we all talking about Innovation now?
Posted on | March 7, 2009 | No Comments
The thing that drives me crazy about all of the gloom and doom dished out on a daily basis by the media, corporate leaders and everybody else is the “Now is the time for Innovation” nonsense. You are backed into a corner, you have no other choice, you are on your way to corporate extinction… Innovate now! This is usually followed up with a feel good story about the Chocolate Chip Cookie being developed during the Depression, etc…
I challenge you to think about the companies that have been successful recently and over time. They are relevant, customer focused, provide a ton of perceived and real value and also make money! They are the obvious companies that jump to mind… Apple, J&J, Google and others. They are also the “Snuggie” (That goofy blanket with sleeves that looks like Obi-Wan Kenobi’s outfit from Star Wars), McDonald’s, Toyota and others. What do they all have in common? What makes them successful? There are a lot of things but one that is relevant and important in today’s world is the fact that they do not have a strategy of COMPLACENCY!
The current economic crisis is not the cause of many of the problems companies are facing today. Sure, Capital Markets could be causing a legitimate constraint on growth or your supply chain could be impacted all around you but lack of business strategy, continuous innovation strategy, new business model creation and customer focused strategy seem to be the scab underneath the band-aid that has been ripped off during the current economic downturn. Think… General Motors, Sears, Motorola (used to be good), etc…
I hope this current downturn will force current corporate leaders and the leaders of tomorrow to focus on always being engaged from the customer to the board room, always understand the competitive landscape, and ALWAYS look for new business models, new opportunities for innovation and the people to help you get there…
Here is a great cartoon that sums up the complacent culture that exists in the companies that are in trouble…
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About Coley
Coley Perry is a 15 year veteran of the sales and marketing grind. Most of his experience is in and around the intersection of sales, marketing, change management, technology and business process helping clients solve business problems through innovative solutions and consulting. He has built sales teams, go-to-market strategies, demand generation engines and sustainable revenue streams. Currently his passion is focused on the convergence of sales, marketing and technology. He wrote a lot of checks to Columbia College and Northwestern University but learned the most from The “Second City” Training Center in Chicago where he studied the Art of Improv.
