Pirates in the Navy Book Excerpt - Innovation Training | Design

Innovation cannot happen successfully in a company without examining the company's readiness to support it. This includes leadership support, organizational design, and innovation practice. Without explicit and visible support from leadership, most innovation programs fail. To support innovation, leadership must provide strategic guidance, allocate resources, and manage portfolios. Organizational design is also important, addressing issues like legitimacy and power, a bridge to the core business, and rewards and incentives. Finally, innovation practice requires the right tools, processes, and skills development to manage the iterative process effectively. Before launching innovation projects, it is essential to gauge the company's willingness to support the endeavor and start with a discovery process. Conversations with previous innovators and key stakeholders within the company can provide invaluable insights to build a successful innovation ecosystem.