• 804.241.9757
  • [email protected]
  • Contact
  • Log In
  • 0Shopping Cart
thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World
  • About
  • Services
  • TITAN
  • Team
  • Blog
  • Online
  • Books
  • Clients
  • Contact
  • Menu

Build your skills! Take our eLearning courses on TITAN!

World-class eLearning courses with videos, exercises, downloads, and a certificate of completion. Get started today!

previous arrow
next arrow
Slider
20200210 Lightbulb

When Innovation Talk Turns Toxic

February 10, 2020/2 Comments/in Books, Guest Blogger, Innovation, Leadership /by Ryan Shaw

20200210 Lightbulb

Innovation thrives on meaning, but superficial innovation talk can lead to stress and fatigue, and thus less creativity, in a company culture.

Today’s post is by Alf Rehn, author of Innovation for the Fatigued (CLICK HERE to get your copy).

It is common knowledge that talking the talk is easier than walking the walk. What we still tend to miss is that sometimes, the talk can actually hinder the walk, and in my research I’ve found that this holds particularly true in the field of corporate innovation. Here, excessive and repetitive innovation talk can trigger two issues that are harmful to organizations but have received scant attention: Innovation stress and innovation fatigue. Both can act as powerful barriers to take action on and engage with innovation, yet managers often respond to these by even more innovation talk. This can in turn create a vicious circle, one which can turn an organization’s creative culture toxic.

What, then, is innovation fatigue? In brief, it stands for a situation where invocations of innovation and exhortations for involvement with the same no longer creates engagement but rather tedium and tension. As an example, in one major corporation I worked with, a mid-level manager could easily recall at least 12 separate ongoing innovation initiatives in the organization, and when I asked him how many past such he could recall, he gave up after about 20, but insisted that there had been countless more. This was only the initiatives. He could also recall numerous innovation consultants, speeches from top executives about the importance of innovation, and various creativity workshops with “all kinds of silly games”. He grimaced throughout the listing of these.

It is important to note that this wasn’t a person who was anti-innovation. On the contrary, he stated that innovation was one of his main interests during his studies, and one of the reasons he’d joined the company was because they stated that innovation was important to them. Over the years, and in lived practice, he’d however become disenchanted. Now he stated that he felt that the innovation initiatives were grating, and that hearing about a new one in no way got him excited – just the opposite. This was a man in the grips of innovation fatigue, and there are many more like him. In fact, there are entire organizations, once engaged but now deep in an innovation torpor created by pontificating executives, directionless projects, and consultants more interested in repeating a set of clichés than in truly novel thinking.

To this comes the very real innovation stress that people can feel in contemporary organizations. We’ve been told that we need to disrupt, enact digital transformation, push the envelope and “think outside the box” (that most vile and hopefully soon outlawed of expressions). Today, people are continuously reminded that their very livelihoods may depend on their capacity for creativity and innovation. Yet many managers fail to see the bigger picture of this. They insist on innovative action, yet fail to create the kind of work environment, not to speak of workload, which would be conducive to this. Doing so, they make innovation into something that doesn’t elicit joy or passion, but rather stress and tension. Being told that you should be innovative, yet having every moment of your working day (and then some) filled with meetings, emails, and those TPS reports, is an almost perfect recipe for stress.

These are only two of the major ways in which increasing the amount of innovation talk – be it in meetings, seminars, workshops, or just the water cooler – can make an organization less prone to innovate. What unites them, and others of their ilk, is that they serve to make the concept of innovation more and more meaningless in the organization. In the case of innovation fatigue, the endless parade of innovation engagements makes people feel that it is all just innovation theatre, a play for the galleries. In the case of innovation stress, employees start feeling that calls for innovative thinking are disingenuous, as they aren’t accompanied by the kind of support that would make this possible. In both cases, the organization can start feeling that innovation talk, and through this the concept of innovation, is just so much hot air.

This is why today it is so important that managers and leaders pay attention to the ways in which their calls for innovation and innovative thinking are received and interpreted. Today, as innovation fatigue and innovation stress are gripping more and more organizations, leaders must guard against empty talk and initiatives that tire rather than energize, and put meaning back on the innovation agenda. Leaders must therefore think carefully about the message they impart when they speak up for innovation, and also make sure that this doesn’t overstay its welcome. Rather than killing an organization’s zeal, leaders need to make sure that they introduce innovation only when it is meaningful, when they’re prepared to back up their message, and in a way that makes sure it doesn’t become one more thing to stress out an already overtaxed organization.

Companies need to talk about innovation, but they need to do so in a measured way. Sometimes more isn’t better. Think of innovation talk like you would of seasoning. Too little salt makes for bland food, the right amount of salt can make a dish soar, and too much can make it inedible. The same is true of innovation talk and innovation initiatives. They are powerful things, and as a result should be wielded with care.

Leaders need to realize that innovation isn’t something you just talk and command into being. It requires engagement and enough time to think freely, and most importantly of all, a culture that nurtures creativity rather than one that wallows in superficial initiatives and fancy speeches. Such culture can be built, but sometimes this takes a little less talking, and a little more listening and thinking.

Innovation for the FatiguedAlf Rehn, author of Innovation for the Fatigued:  How to Build a Culture of Deep Creativity (CLICK HERE to get your copy), is recognized as a global thought-leader in the field of innovation and creativity.  Rehn is Professor of Innovation, Design, and Management at the University of Southern Denmark, sits on numerous boards of directors, is a bestselling author, and serves as a strategic advisor for hot new startups to Fortune 500 companies.

Did you enjoy this post? If so, I highly encourage you to take about 30 seconds to become a regular subscriber to this blog. It’s free, fun, practical, and only a few emails a week (I promise!). SIGN UP HERE to get the thoughtLEADERS blog conveniently delivered right to your inbox!

https://i1.wp.com/www.thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/20200210-Lightbulb.jpg?fit=1920%2C1279&ssl=1 1279 1920 Ryan Shaw https://thoughtleadersllc.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/logo.png Ryan Shaw2020-02-10 08:00:522019-11-10 11:18:37When Innovation Talk Turns Toxic
2 replies
  1. Chris Kylander
    Chris Kylander says:
    February 11, 2020 at 3:46 am

    Thank you for excellent writings. How to allow all kind of views goes with understanding, which also goes with understanding of how people tend to argue, which goes also with understanding about how the person herself/himself would argue in different matters. – Know thyself, said the Oracle: All kind of walking and talking starts with interpretation of self.

    Reply
  2. Duane Penzen
    Duane Penzen says:
    February 15, 2020 at 8:20 pm

    This article sounds as if it was written about the corner of the corporation that I work for. This is something that I have been undergoing for some time. Keep spreading the word!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Want to join the discussion?
Feel free to contribute!

Leave a Reply to Duane Penzen Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to the blog HERE!

Get free email updates NOW!
It’s the best 5 minutes a week you can spend on your development.

Enter your email address:

Get new posts FREE via RSS!
Follow thoughtLEADERS on LinkedInFollow thoughtLEADERS on twitter
This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Check Out Our Courses

Our courses teach immediately applicable skills that have real impact on your business. From leadership to strategy and negotiation to conflict resolution, we have a broad set of course offerings that will drive immediate performance improvements.
OUR COURSES

Our Courses

previous arrow
next arrow
Slider

eLearning Courses on TITAN

Puzzle Pieces
Structured Thought: Problem Solving

Clearly define a problem, scope all issues related to the problem, generate potential solutions, then analyze and select the best solution by using time-tested critical thinking methods and tools.

VIEW COURSE
Group of Business People Meeting
Structured Thought and Communication

Craft clear and compelling recommendations that resonate with stakeholders. Get your ideas approved by using a proven method for delivering executive-level communications.

VIEW COURSE
Different Types of Line and Bar Charts
Principles of Chart Design

Create well-designed presentation charts that get your message across quickly and clearly to drive your audience to action. From data charts to concept charts, these methods help make your point.

VIEW COURSE
Wagon Wheel
Engagement Management

Whether you’re an internal or external consultant or a project leader, learn proven methods, techniques, and processes to effectively lead consulting engagements that drive your client’s success.

VIEW COURSE
Cog Wheels
Strategic Business Planning

Use a straightforward and effective strategic planning process that shows how to craft a clear, compelling plan for your organization - not just one time, but on an ongoing basis year after year.

VIEW COURSE
Deliberate Decision Making
Deliberate Decision Making

Make better, faster, and more effective decisions. Apply simple yet powerful decision making tools to define decision authority, manage risk, increase accountability, and drive execution.

VIEW COURSE
Man reading stories from a book
Storytelling for Leaders

Create business stories that inspire people, build connections with your audience, and ultimately advance your organization's goals by using a repeatable, straightforward method.

VIEW COURSE
Storytelling for Salespeople
Storytelling for Salespeople

Create and deliver stories that will take your sales efforts to the next level. Connect with and convince buyers in all situations using memorable stories. These stronger relationships drive more sales.

VIEW COURSE
Leading through Change
Leading through Change

Lead your organization through the most challenging times using a proven change management process. Get people through the change and back to driving performance quickly and effectively.

VIEW COURSE
Mountain Climbing Expedition
Building Leadership Resilience

Prepare your body and brain to be ready for and recover from your biggest challenges. Build approaches for overcoming stress, managing reactions to difficult events, and leading more effectively.

VIEW COURSE
Compelling Executive Presence
Compelling Executive Presence

Build your ability to connect with your audience and convey your ideas in a clear and resonant way. Create meaningful connections between you and your audience to build buy-in.

VIEW COURSE
Plant Growing in a Hand
Coaching for Impact: Foundation Course

Coach employees for performance and development more effectively by helping them identify and pursue their own solutions. Create the right environment and conditions to help them grow.

VIEW COURSE
previous arrow
next arrow
Slider

Books You MUST Read

previous arrow
next arrow
Slider
  • The Elegant Pitch
  • Firestarters
  • Philanthropy Revolution

This site contains affiliate links to products. We may receive a commission for purchases made through these links.

Categories

Our Course Offerings

Leadership Skills

Creating Your Leadership Maxims
Leading Inside the Box
Leading With Influence
Leading Through Change
Structured Problem Solving
Deliberate Decision Making
Strategic Business Planning
Simplified Strategic Planning
Coaching for Impact: Foundations
Coaching for Impact: Applications
Building Leadership Resilience
Engagement Management
Project Management Reality

Communication Skills

Communications: Foundations
Communications: Applications
Principles of Chart Design
Storytelling for Leaders
Storytelling for Salespeople
Compelling Executive Presence
Advanced Facilitation Skills

Individual Skills

Conflict Resolution
Everything is Negotiable
thoughtLEADERSHIP: Innovation
Building Personal Resilience
Time Management Mastery

Coaching & Consulting

©2021 thoughtLEADERS, LLC: Leadership Training for the Real World
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookie Policy
When someone does something differently than you would, how do you react? EKG Pulse Graph with Glowing Blue Line Leading Inside The Box
Scroll to top