Companies and governments have actively been working to create positions such as Chief Design Officer or Director of Innovation in order to bring change and fresh thinking to their organizations. They are also tasked with creating new sources of value in an effort to stimulate growth in the near and long term.
The challenge that the people in these new positions will have is demonstrating their value. What impact are they creating in return for the salary they are being paid?
Here’s an alternative way to look at this… what if we stop worrying about disruption and innovation? Instead, consider the following in your daily work:
Create space for people to explore ideas
Remove barriers and impediments to progress
Make decisions faster
Build trust in organizations
Improve the level of service you are providing
Consider the ecosystem in which you are working
Understand the secondary and third order effects of your decisions
Empathize with your customers
Understand the difference between managing and leading
Experiment with new ideas
Iterate often
You can make a difference in an organization without being a disruptor or an innovator. Think carefully about the decisions you make on a moment to moment basis as you move through your day. Are you repeating broken patterns or following outdated processes? If so, take that as an opportunity to speak up and make a suggestion.
This is just a common sense approach to getting things done in an organization. The result may be that a level of change that people can see and feel.
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