Innovation in teams

Results of LIW / LSE research on innovation in teams

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Teams are the engine of business today. That’s where the work gets done – and it should be where innovation happens.

So how do we optimize the conditions for innovation? Academic and business research tells us these factors are key to driving innovation...

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Finding #1: A learning culture IS essential to support innovation in teams.

• Systems and processes that enable sharing of information and ideas support team-level innovation.

Finding #2: Senior leadership support for innovation IS necessary…

• …but it is not sufficient – without a learning culture it won’t drive innovation in teams.

Finding #3: Tolerance of failure DOES NOT appear to support team innovation

• This finding leads us to look at tolerance of failure in a new light - does it encourage a culture of mediocrity? Or is it fundamentally at odds with success and delivering results?

• Focus on building a ‘learn fast’ not a ‘fail fast’ culture. Failure won’t deliver innovation, but learning will.

• Ensure senior leaders are ‘on message’ about the importance of innovation to business performance.

• Align systems and processes to support innovation through a learning culture.