Why Holistic Innovation Matters?

There are occasional articles claiming that innovation is an overused term. It is true that interest in innovation has grown over the years and innovation is being talked about more and more. When you search for the word "innovation" on Google in 1.970.000.000 items appear as of this writing! The fact that companies understand that there is no other way out for both profitability and market share increase is also effective in this high interest.

It should be said that the word innovation is not always used correctly. Especially in order not to stay behind the times, companies that use the concept of innovation indiscriminately without defining its meaning have a share in this. And there are also companies that want to do something about innovation, but do not know exactly what to do and start it all wrong. Frankly, for many companies who do not know how to approach it, innovation is an untargeted activity carried out with suggestion systems or small groups within the company without expecting much benefit. However, this is the most inefficient way to innovate, including the money and time wasted. The result of this lack of knowledge is, innovation activities here and there, which are generally undertaken in good faith but do not create sustainable profitable growth. An activity trap, which may look nice from the outside but does not take the company very far. Focusing too much on the activity and forgetting the purpose… Innovation activities in companies must be managed in a way that create positive business results.

Innovation is not the same as creativity. It is not an extension of individual creativity either. Some companies can make activities geared towards appearance, and feel like they are innovative. An "Innovation Room" with colorful walls, the brainstorming sessions held here, which is not a very innovative method in itself, are part of this optical illusion. Could it be enough just to lock selected people in an organization in a room and ask them for brilliant ideas and return to the daily flow of things the next day?

Some other signs of the innovation theater are tours to innovative companies, bringing motivational speakers and trying to mobilize the team, creativity training with towers made of colored blocks. Of course, all of these have a limited contribution. But think about it, you go to Google headquarters and take a tour. What you see gives you an idea of the working environment. Maybe you're thinking "this doesn't suit us", and you're probably right. But will just creating this physical work environment in your own company make you innovative? We do not think so. Because what matters is the systems and practices that are part of an underlying innovative business culture.

While trying to implement innovation management in a company, different trainings on innovation techniques, leadership and culture are required, but the main emphasis is on systemic changes to be made in the infrastructure. In a sense, training is like changing the outer fabric of the organism, and embedding innovation management is equivalent to changing the DNA.

Innovation is a discipline that needs to be specialized in and managed. When it is approached systematically and managed correctly, it gives a completely different energy to the company and can carry the company and its employees to great business success. Most importantly, innovative companies are not affected by economic fluctuations. They can continue to grow even under the most difficult conditions. Innovation discipline is also something that requires dissatisfaction with the present and being comfortable facing the change. Making a company innovative requires diligent work, but it's really worth it. This work should first be done within the company. It would be much more efficient for companies to start by establishing an internal innovation system first and then turn to look for external resources. If the starting point is not the employees but the top of the company, the work will run healthier. Of course, when the leadership team of the company is committed from the beginning and if there are hesitations in certain people to eliminate them at the offset, accelerates the process of creating a culture that supports innovation. Employees' belief in the company and engagement can also be strengthened in this way.

The average lifespan of companies was 60 years in the 60s, now it is around 20 years. An important factor in this shortening is the acceleration of destructive competition. The threat to large companies can now be not only from other large companies in the industry, but also from new innovative startup companies. Practices and policies that carry companies to today's success may be insufficient to carry them into the future. When you make the disruptive innovation, you may be the one who surprises others, not the one surprised. Innovation requires systematic and disciplined work as well as creativity. A holistic approach rather than piecemeal activities is the right approach that will increase both the market share and profitability of the company.