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The Case Against Innovation IncubatorsForbes (Incubating Innovation)" recently had an interesting article about how to make innovation incubators work. I'd like to suggest you consider the reverse, an innovation non-incubator. Many large companies set up some form of incubators to develop new ideas to grow their company, for new product and service ideas, and to explore possible changes with the company. Some have been successful but many have not. Consider instead making your whole company its own incubator. Encourage and empower every employee to bring forward ideas no matter how 'half baked' or silly they may sound at first. Often, the person working the machines on the manufacturing floor or the customer service representative or the person in the mail room will see an opportunity for savings, improvement, or another 'what if' exploration. "I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow."Woodrow WilsonInstead of incubating your thinkers away from everyone else, consider the following methods and others described on this site to bring out the critical and creative thinking of everyone and anyone in or associated with your organization.ContestsGive prizes for the most ideas rather than the one idea that gets funded or chosen. Brainstorming techniques teach us that quantity of ideas is much more important than quality as you start to brainstorm. Prizes for quantity will provide many more ideas to start an exploratory brainstorming to flesh those ideas out.Mini-brainstorming sessionsEncourage idea discussions and mini-brainstorming sessions. This is the 'water-cooler conversation' applied to continuous improvement of business ideas.Idea BillboardsSet up an idea billboard encouraging everyone to put up ideas on 3x5 cards (kept in a box nearby along with push pins or whatever needed to attach the cards). They should sign their names though it should not be mandatory. Also adding onto someone else's idea makes it a dual (or more) contribution. This doesn't take away from anyone and allows for the piggy-backing of ideas that enhances idea productivity and sharing of appreciation.Innovation Incubator IsolationConsider the pros and cons of isolation for incubators: When I worked for Digital Equipment Corporation ( DEC ), both IBM and DEC chose wisely in allowing the PC division of their respective companies to be housed far away from the corporate offices. It was clear to both companies that the brainstorming and thinking needed for this new (at that time) technology, should not be inhibited by the old thinking from how things were done traditionally. No "that's how we have always done it" comments would be tolerated.Up to that point isolation has a good purpose. But consider who the employees are who are in this new isolated program or division. They tend to be 'out of the box' thinkers and have many attributes in common. For the best brainstorming and innovative idea generation, what is needed is a well rounded team, a team that represents several different viewpoints, plenty of diversity in thinking styles, and, especially, 4-quadrant whole brain thinking. Sam Walton knew that he didn't have all the good ideas and that's why he constantly reached out to learn from others.As explained on this site's whole brained thinking page, it is possible to to sign up for a short or long version of an assessment that will help you and your team understand your own thinking style and each other's thinking styles. Use the contact us block below to get more information on types of assessments and how to sign up for yourself or your team.The best teams have representations of each of the four styles. True, it may take longer to come to decisions as alternative views are listened to, but the results will be better and the support for the decision will be stronger. Each person having had a chance to weigh in and understand other viewpoints leads to consensus, if not unanimity, and the buy-in needed in business.
Instead of innovation incubators, invite in a brainstorming facilitator (e.g., Hazel Wagner, the author of this site ) or have a group of your employees attend a seminar on brainstorming to bring back ideas to share with the whole company. You can also build an innovation 'chamber' meant to release creativity and add fun to the innovation process. Solution People helps companies design and build what they call a 'thinkubator' which allows groups to use the facility but does not require isolation. What subject are you passionate about?If there is a topic that you feel passionately about like I feel about brainstorming and critical and creative thinking, then you might want to build your own web site to share your passion.Take a look at the SBI site to learn about the method I used. Return from the innovation incubators page to the brainstorming-that-works home page.
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