How Does Innovation Die?

I saw a Linked In post a few weeks ago that went something like this (details removed to protect the guilty):

“I want to kill the good idea fairy…there are times where the good ideas need to lead to actionable and quantifiable results.”

“Keep the fairy alive, as long as you can provide results.”

So, from this post…innovation is great, but only if you can provide results. Show of hands, how many of you would volunteer to work in an innovation role with this person? Anyone?

Anyone?

I certainly wouldn’t. Innovation is hard. Failure is likely.

The reason so many of us shy away from doing anything new and innovative is because of people like the above are often in charge. They want innovation (or so they say) provided there are results.

That’s not how innovation works. The Wright Brothers failed on numerous occasions and their first successful flight was all of 3.5 seconds (followed by a longer flight of 12 seconds). Without trial and error…without failure, would we have flight today?

Picture this…you decide to go to a personal trainer to get in shape and you tell the trainer “I’ll work out, but I’m only paying you if there are quantifiable results.” There are so many variables involved like, will you actually put in the work? Will you change up your diet? Commit to the program? How long until we must show “quantifiable results?”

The same is true in innovation. If I come up with a new idea…is the expectation that this new idea produce revenue next week? Are you giving me any resources to build out the MVP? Do I get to prioritize this over my other duties? How much politicking do I have to do?

It’s so easy to spew this kind of Kool-Aid style management BS…but real life isn’t like that. It’s messy, complicated and the variables are numerous. We need to instead create go/no-go timelines for new ideas. We need to set SMART goals (refresher: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-Bound) for the innovation project and commit to the project organizationally.

If this gentleman sat on the leadership company I worked for and I read this commentary? I’d likely start looking for another role. Companies that operate with this mentality are on the path of obsolescence. No one will want to raise their hand and innovate for a leader who wants innovation but wants to shift the blame to you, the idea-creator while taking the credit for success.