The document discusses obstacles that can suffocate meaningful innovation from a leadership perspective. It identifies organizational blind spots like mindset, culture, and structure that inhibit innovation. Specific leadership acts are described that can stifle innovation, such as being suspicious of new ideas, focusing only on efficiency over risk-taking, and believing the organization already knows everything. The conclusion emphasizes that experimentation, flexibility, and a culture that celebrates both successes and failures are needed to foster innovation.

1. IDENTIFYING THE HIDDEN OBSTACLES
THAT SUFFOCATE MEANINGFUL
INNOVATION
American Corner – Novi Sad
Karl R. LaPan
President & CEO – The NIIC
January 2019
www.theniic.org

2. INNOVATION –
CHANGE IN A DIMENSION
OF PERFORMANCE
-PETER DRUCKER
PRODUCT, PROCESS, BRAND, CHANNEL, CUSTOMER
EXPERIENCE, BUSINESS MODEL
INNOVATION UNPLUGGED
2

3. MEANINGFUL INNOVATION*–
BETTER, FASTER, CHEAPER,
SIMPLER, SMARTER
*ENHANCES LIFE, IMPROVES OUTCOMES, CREATES VALUE,
TRANSFORMS SOCIETY, AND CHANGES BEHAVIORS
(UNDERSTANDING PEOPLE AND THEIR EXPERIENCES)
SOCIETAL DEMANDS TODAY FOR INNOVATION…CONTEXT
3

4. INNOVATION + COMMERCIALIZATION =
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
IN THE U.S.
IDEA =1%; EXECUTION = 99%
97% OF PATENTS NEVER MAKE ANY MONEY
95% OF ALL PATENTS NEVER COMMERCIALIZE
2.1 MILLION ACTIVE US PATENTS
INNOVATION IS MORE THAN IDEAS
4

5. 5
• Creative problem-solving
• Human—centered
• Empathy>Ideation>Experimentation

6. SEPARATE THESE INNOVATION TASKS…
IDEA GENERATION
FROM
IDEA EVALUATION
-EASY TO COME UP WITH IDEAS..
-HARDER TO CREATE AN IDEA FUNNEL AND FILTER FOR
GO/NO GO ON IDEAS
-NEED BURNING PLATFORM FOR CHANGE
-DEFINING EVALUATION CRITERIA IMPROVES IDEA FLOW
INNOVATION TIP
6

7. The leadership acts that stifle innovation
Think about hidden obstacles from the leadership perspective
of how innovation is suffocated…
Organizational & Leadership Blind Spots
q Mindset – The leader’s role in setting the tone at the top
q Culture – The organization’s DNA…the way they do things around
here.
q Structure – How an organization relies on a particular model/approach
(and its maturity) to drive for/against innovation.
7
HARVARD HBR ARTICLE – KANTER (JAN 2003)

8. The leadership acts that stifle innovation…
Be suspicious of any new idea from below
• Promote Innovation Jams
8
HARVARD HBR ARTICLE – KANTER (JAN 2003)
Hidden Obstacle: Mindset

9. The leadership acts that stifle innovation…
Remind everyone of that bad past
experience. Didn’t work last time, will not
work this time.
• Celebrate failures
9
HARVARD HBR ARTICLE – KANTER (JAN 2003)
Hidden Obstacle: Culture

10. The leadership acts that stifle innovation…
Keep people really busy.
• 3M’s 15%
10
HARVARD HBR ARTICLE – KANTER (JAN 2003)
Hidden Obstacle: Structure

11. The leadership acts that stifle innovation…
In the name of excellence,
encourage cut-throat competition.
• Fund collaborative projects
11
HARVARD HBR ARTICLE – KANTER (JAN 2003)
Hidden Obstacle: Culture

12. The leadership acts that stifle innovation…
Efficiency, reliability predictability above
all. Metrics drive behavior. No reward for
risk-taking.
• Form an innovation fund (outside normal budgeting
process)
12
HARVARD HBR ARTICLE – KANTER (JAN 2003)
Hidden Obstacle: Structure

13. The leadership acts that stifle innovation…
Confine discussion of strategies and
plans to a small circle of trusted advisors.
• Formalize an innovation venture’s group and locate them outside
the organization
13
HARVARD HBR ARTICLE – KANTER (JAN 2003)
Hidden Obstacle: Mindset

14. The leadership acts that stifle innovation…
Act as though punishing failure motivates
success.
• Dedicate resources to building innovation expertise
14
HARVARD HBR ARTICLE – KANTER (JAN 2003)
Hidden Obstacle: Culture

15. The leadership acts that stifle innovation…
Blame problems on lack of bench strength
in organization.
• Recruit and select innovation champions
15
HARVARD HBR ARTICLE – KANTER (JAN 2003)
Hidden Obstacle: Structure

16. The leadership acts that stifle innovation…
Above all, never forget that we got to the
top because we already know everything
there is to know about this business.
• Unlearn, relearn, bring outsiders in to provoke thinking
16
HARVARD HBR ARTICLE – KANTER (JAN 2003)
Hidden Obstacle: Mindset

17. • Experimentation
• Flexibility
• Not everything will
work (establish risk
tolerance)
• Look ahead
• Celebrate successes
and failures
• Encourage new ideas
• Human-centric
• Nurture right
environment
• Pay attention to
physical setting
• Open to learning
• Bold action
17
CULTURE MATTERS IN INNOVATION – PEOPLE,
STRUCTURE, PROCESS, AND LEADERSHIP

18. 18
FINAL THOUGHT – WHY INNOVATION MATTERS
Photo by Sharon Pittaway on Unsplash
In the 1920s, the average life of
a US corporation was 67 years,
today it is 15 years.
Things that get in the way of relevance and staying power:
• Fear
• Own Past Success
• Mindset
• Lack of urgency