Douglas S. Williams’ Post

At SmartOrg’s recent Innovation Impact Workshop, participants experienced firsthand how to de-risk bold ideas and focus on what truly drives success. Through hands-on collaboration, we explored strategies to turn uncertainty into opportunity and align #innovation efforts with business impact. Attendees left with a whole new way of thinking about #incubation projects—and appreciation for a novel method for prioritizing learning over showing progress. Curious about how this game-changing approach works? Check out the workshop write-up: https://bit.ly/3ASzUdW

Struggling to unlock your team’s innovation potential? Many organizations face the challenge of empowering everyone—no matter their role—to think and act like innovators. That’s why we created a new self-paced, online course: "The Innovation Power Hour: 5 Mindsets to Become a Daily Innovator!" In just one hour, this course helps you: 🤔 Understand the 5 mindsets that fuel daily innovation. 🤸♂️ Practice fun, hands-on activities to embed innovation mindset into your workflow. Want a sneak peak? Below is a video part of the course that dives into status quo bias. (Spoiler: We all have it.) It’s that sneaky, hardwired tendency to resist change—even when we say we love innovation. Becoming a true Daily Innovator means learning how to overcome this bias, both in ourselves and in others. What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to breaking free from the status quo? #BeAnInnovationGIANT

Turning ideas into success stories isn’t easy—especially when skeptical stakeholders are involved. Douglas S. Williams and I are looking forward to facilitating SmartOrg's "No Derisk, No Reward" workshop during InnoLead’s Impact conference this October. Join us on Wed., Oct. 23rd at 4PM Eastern for a chocolate-fueled session where you’ll dive deep into: -Focusing on issues related to your innovations projects to win over skeptical stakeholders -Adopting methods to drive upside potential and resolve downside risk -Prioritizing across projects within the innovation portfolio to put the best proposals and experiments forward Don’t miss the chance to uncover actionable strategies for your innovation journey! Register here: https://bit.ly/3YcsGud #ILxImpact #innovationevent #innovation

👀 Something big is coming soon 👀 Last week’s launch of the Critical Thinking Ambassadors was not just a kick-off. It ignited a powerful movement aimed at creating real, and positive change in our industry. Stay tuned as we prepare to roll out something big. Something that will challenge and encourage us all to make a real tangible difference in our industry. Watch this space…! The countdown is on. #CriticalThinking #CriticalThinkingAmbassadors #DrivingChange #Innovation #FinancialAdvice

For innovation managers, it’s crucial to pinpoint exactly what will drive your projects forward. You’ve done the initial Discovery work and crafted an innovation proposal—what next? Many teams fall into the trap of picking the low-hanging fruit, opting to work on familiar issues in the name of “making progress.” But that isn’t where you should focus. Know what matters: The Discovery Grid highlights areas where your team can significantly de-risk the project, allowing you to move beyond routine tasks to address the critical challenges that are not well understood. Win over skeptics and align your stakeholders: Creating a Discovery Grid doesn’t just help with project focus—it also aligns your team and stakeholders around the critical issues that need attention, ensuring everyone is invested in the success of the innovation. Watch the video to see the Discovery Grid in action> https://ow.ly/iQ5p50RzYCK #innovation #innovationincubation #businessgrowth

💡 10 proven steps to Break into the Innovation Industry There is no unique recipe for this, but I consider these 10 steps a general guide to breaking into the innovation industry. Whether you're starting fresh or pivoting your career, the world of innovation offers endless opportunities—but where do you begin? My latest YouTube video is here to guide you with 10 proven steps to kickstart your journey in the innovation industry. Some of them are 👇🏼 1️⃣ Understanding the innovation landscape 2️⃣ Building a learning plan that works for you 3️⃣ Cultivating a growth mindset to overcome challenges These steps are designed to help you navigate and start in this industry. 🎥 Watch the full video here and let me know which step resonates most with you! If you find value in the content, please subscribe to my channel and share it with someone looking to break into the innovation space 🙌 PS: I´m still a rookie in terms of video creation; I have a lot to improve 😊 https://bit.ly/4f72w16 #InnovationCareers #YouTubeJourney #CareerPivot #GrowthMindset #PersonalBranding #InnovationIndustry

Growing My Box: A Fresh Take on Innovation Last week, I received a piece of advice that challenged the conventional "think outside the box" wisdom. Instead of focusing on isolated moments of innovation, I was encouraged to instead "grow my box." This subtle shift in perspective is profound: • Thinking outside the box: Single, sporadic moments of innovation • Growing my box: Systemic, steady growth and expansion By growing my box, I create an environment where innovation becomes a continuous process rather than a rare occurrence. It's about: 1. Expanding boundaries gradually 2. Challenging assumptions consistently 3. Fostering a culture of curiosity and learning This approach leads to sustainable growth and helps build a foundation for long-term success. It's not about one big leap, but many small steps forward. To put this into practice, I was then advised to write down only three actions to grow my box in the next 30 days, repeating the process in the following months. This systematic approach ensures steady progress and continuous improvement. Share your three actions if you do follow this advice to start a dialogue… #Innovation #PersonalGrowth #ContinuousImprovement

How do you define #innovation? In our Innovation in Motion series, Morgan Lehtinen, PhD described innovation as a distinct idea of value put into practice by stakeholders. This is such a versatile definition applicable across all sectors. Understanding the value proposition and involving diverse stakeholders lays a robust foundation for implementation (and beyond). Let's shape our innovations with purpose and drive meaningful change! #InnovationFramework #ValueInnovation #ChangeMakers #changemanagement

In managing a portfolio of innovation projects, two primary challenges often arise. The first is the difficulty of objectively comparing projects during the incubation phase. If your organization doesn’t have a standardized method for incubation, you’ll end up relying on qualitative assessments – and that can lead to poor decision-making. Second, the conventional 'all-or-nothing' project funding approach is risky, especially when uncertainty is high. Projects with significant potential can be left behind. A more nuanced approach involves analyzing projects at the level of individual experiments. This granular view can reveal the upside potential (and downside risk) associated with each project. Funding experiments instead of projects allows for smarter resource allocation decisions and more innovation bets that could pay off. Discover more about efficient innovation management on our new Innovation Navigator webpage! https://ow.ly/FzpM50R5l8I #innovation #growthstage #businessimpact #innovationincubation

At what point does a creative idea attain “IT” status? Is it the moment where the entire room goes quiet and the key stakeholder mutters…THIS IS IT? Or is there a bell that dings when all the mandatories in the brief have been addressed? Or, are there expectations of an outstanding creative idea (let’s say it follows trend report, insight, strategic pathway, to craft a big idea & creative rollout) that if followed closely would get instant buy in? Or is it just a feeling in your gut? Maybe this is far fetched, but now might be the perfect time for the IDEOMETER innovation.