Great ideas do not sell themselves. You need to build a broad and engaging
case including data, stories, and influential partners in order to secure support for your
proposal.

Creativity is cornerstone to innovation. The ability to generate and harness great ideas and put them into action establishes a platform for progress that is directly linked to innovative organizations. Being deliberate in the creative process is essential to an organizations ability to apply innovation.

Building an environment fully engaged in positive change requires 360 degrees of innovation. To be successful at creating this environment we must welcome new viewpoints and insights. The 10 Faces is an exploration of the roles used at IDEO to combat the Devil’s Advocate, or negative perspective, and leverage the energy and intelligence of team members to generate a remarkably powerful force for innovation.

“You develop a team to achieve what one person cannot accomplish alone. All of us alone are weaker, by far, than if all of us are together.” Coach Mike Krzyzewski

Today, organizations consider themselves lucky to retain an employee for five years. And, when we analyze the reasons for this change of landscape, most of the data points to one issue: employees don’t trust employers and employers don’t trust employees.

For the purpose of this article, we are not just talking about the traditional team, rather “innovation teams” are those that take on unusual assignments, are non-hierarchical and diverse, that disrespect silos, and are motivated to participate. Team members are attached to the mission and objectives of the organization and understand the parameters for innovation to occur. These teams are supported by systems or have the authority to change them, and are listened to and supported by the leaders of the organization.

In 2009, the City of Phoenix was facing a $277 million budget shortfall. Part of the solution was to establish an Innovation and Efficiency Task Force. The Task Force, comprised of 10 public members and 18 city executives was charged with the responsibility of identifying specific recommendations for efficiency improvements, examining alternative service delivery methods, identifying organizational structure efficiencies, addressing cost recovery and revenue enhancement opportunities, and ensuring the city’s continuing focus on customer service.

Emergenetics is a personal development tool for understanding human behavior and the unique differences in the way people approach work and life.