Identifying & Leveraging Innovation

Most people can recognize some employees in the workplace who always seem to have good ideas. The problem is that if these innovators are not recognized for their ability to see and think outside the box, they will generally leave the firm. NetForm identifies these people and then develops retention strategies to encourage them to remain with the firm. More important than this straightforward approach however, is another more subtle approach; that is, to identify among those innovators who also have recognized expertise with the legacy of the firm. This is a very different type of innovator, because he/she has dual capabilities – speaking in two languages – that of innovation and that of legacy. More often than not, culture is its own worst enemy, destroying or weakening the very innovation that will ensure its perpetuity. The reason for this is that the experts in the culture have a vested interest in keeping things the way they are because that has been what has led to their well-heeled status as an “expert.” Most experts don’t even recognize their own destructive tendencies in this respect, rationalizing that they are justified in serving and ensuring the legacy of the firm. What often happens as a result is the capricious destruction of innovation. It’s not enough to recognize innovation; one must also convert, enlighten and engage those experts most threatened by it. NetForm identifies and targets these key people for reformation efforts. This approach has been used by Amgen, Genentech and community studies.