Innovation, learning and survival - Notes from Nigel Paine's Webinar

These are live blogged notes from Nigel Paine's webinar about Innovation on the Learning and Skills Group.

From the LSG:
Nigel Paine is a change-orientated leader with a worldwide reputation and a unique grasp of media, learning and development in the public, private and academic sectors. The former head of training and development at the BBC, he left the BBC in 2006 to start his own company focussed on leadership, creativity, innovation and learning, working with companies in Europe, Brazil, Australia and the USA. He teaches for several weeks each year at Wharton Business School in Philadelphia on a doctoral programme aimed at Learning Leaders.

Difference between Innovation and Creativity

Creativity - "The ability to transcend traditional ideas, rules, patterns, to create new  meaningful new ideas"
Innovation - "Something new or different introduced."

If you're not introducing anything new and tangible, you're not innovating.

Nigel conducted a poll asking people how innovative they think their organisation is:

• 14% Very innovative
• 28% Quite
• 28% A bit
• 10% Not really
• 20% No Answer

Why is Learning and Development Important

Innovation is mainly about people -- if you don't have people who are capable of looking beyond the horizon, innovation will most likely not happen.

Dan Pink's new book 'Drive' is about motivation - it's a human need not driven by carrots and sticks. e.g. (real story) University VC sends an email to all his professors saying they need to be innovative from Monday onwards.

Questions for individuals and organisations to ask themselves:

• Did you do today better than yesterday?
• What do you want to be remembered for?
• What's your legacy as an organisation?

Innovation requires people and that requires L&D to contribute to people's development. A culture of learning is a culture of thinking and that leads to innovation.

"If something works it's already obsolete."

Definition of Innovation by Drucker

Drucker says innovation is, "Change which creates a new dimension of performance". You can also call this the definition of L&D, says Nigel

5 Kinds of Wealth by Sharma

• Economic
• Relationship
• Health
• Adventure/ Challenge/ Fun
• Contribution and Impact

If you take the last two Adventure/ Challenge/ Fun and Contribution and Impact you can create meaning for your organisation. Learning environments lead to an environment of innovation.

5 ways you can make innovation thrive

What stops innovation?

• Innovation that doesn't get supported from top is doomed - L&D can't drive it alone. We need executive endorsement.
• Management needs to set an example by being innovative.
• Too much process stifles innovation.
• Everything doesn't need a business plan - you should only need a business plan after you've gone through a few trials. Can't make people jump through hoops right at the beginning.

There are more things that organisations do to stop innovation than they do to facilitate it!

What helps innovation?

1. The Taylor Philosophy
Open: What might work
Cull: What will work
Focus: energies on success

2. It takes time
Instant returns rarely happen - you need to be in for the long haul.

3. Lots of dangers en-route
You have to be aware of what they are and deal with them as you go on. If you don't have the new dimension of performance -- you can't justify this effort though.

4. Not Just a People Issue

It's also an environment issue. It's about how you work with people. A great environment is just as important as great people

5. You need the right processes

e.g. Innovation forum at Intel, 20% time,

Innovation and Learning

Nigel asked the group: Is L&D Involved in Innovation?

• Yes a lot - 10%
• Yes - 29%
• Hardly - 26%
• No - 6%
• No Answer - 28%

L&D's agenda should be to drive innovation. There's a link between personal growth and organisational success. If people feel they are growing they'll contribute to the organisations success. Link learning to innovation - this is critical.