Culture of Innovation

Albert Einstein said, “To do the same things over and over again and expect different results is insanity.” Which means that, according to Einstein, if we want to do something better, we must do it differently than how we are currently doing it, or simply do it innovatively.

In order to innovate, we must consider two factors: Factor 1 is Risk. Factor 2 is Failure. You can’t innovate without both.

When considering risk, whether you realize it or not, we each as individuals and organizations develop what is referred to as a “specific risk tolerance.” Here is a quick way to assess your own: if I worked for you, meaning I’m your employee, which of these two statements might be true:

1. “Oh yeah, that guy Gustavo. I know him! He tried that process six times before he finally got it to work out right.”
2. “Oh yeah, that guy Gustavo. I know him! He tried that process twice and he’s no longer with us.”

Both statements display a very different specific risk tolerance.

Then there is the issue of failure. Whether you are aware of it or not, we are all socialized to avoid failure. Nobody likes to fail. But the truth is that failure teaches us more than our success. Success teaches us to do the same things over and over again. It is failure that teaches us to do things differently. So I suggest we should adopt the Thomas Edison consciousness around failure.

Edison was a prolific inventor. One of the many things he invented was the light bulb. Edison was once interviewed by a newspaper reporter of his time about this invention. The reporter asked him, “Mr. Edison, is it true that in order to invent the light bulb, you performed more than 1000 experiments?”

Edison’s response: “Why, yes, that happens to be true.”

So of course the follow up question was, “So Mr. Edison, doesn’t that mean that in order to invent the light bulb you failed more than 1000 times?!”

Edison’s response, “Not at all… that just means that the invention of the light bulb was more than a 1000-step process.”

Failure is a step in the process of innovation. You can't innovate without both risk and failure. And here is the real issue: Culture trumps innovation. If you in a leadership role in your organization are not willing to risk and fail in order to innovate, neither will anyone below you be. You are an integral part of setting the culture of risk and failure, and therefore innovation in your organization. If you’re not willing to do it then don’t expect anyone else to do it below you.

So as you go forward, if you're wanting those around you to be more creative and innovative, consider asking yourself: How comfortable are you with risk and failure? The last time that someone in your organization took a risk and failed, what was the consequence? Was the person punished in any way or was it seen as a learning opportunity -- a step in an innovative process? If you want to create a culture of innovation, every member of the organization must be allowed to embrace both risk and failure -- including yourself.