Innovation is motherhood in the corporate world. You have a problem? Innovate! Falling sales? You need innovation! Losing market share? Innovation will fix that. Are your people less than dedicated to good old Corporate You? Don’t hesitate – Innovate!
There is, in fact, a minor industry in innovation these days. It’s become a black box, a blank space on the map marked “Here there be simple answers to all your problems.” But while it is true that innovation is necessary, desirable, and can solve problems, there are two major problems with innovation itself: first, that it’s not a magic spell that will make your problems go “POOF!”; and second, most organizations really, really don’t want to innovate, no matter what they say to the contrary. In fact, many of the most vocal proponents of innovation are, I suspect, the biggest fakers. Let’s look at these issues, starting with the magic box idea.
