An innovative organization is an organization that innovates systematically and sustainably in everything it does and how it does it.

Only individuals and teams can innovate but the culture and the “organization” can power people up or hold them back by stifling individual and team innovation initiatives.

Success and innovation tightly linked.

In a 2008 survey we conducted with HRPA, we found that successful organizations are three times more likely to be innovative than not and innovative organizations are almost three times more likely to be successful and a leader in their industry (see HRPA survey results to be published in spring 2009).

How successful innovation happens.

To be systematically innovative, an organization needs to work simultaneously on three pillars:

• Culture

The Culture, driven by the executives, gives people the permission to innovate and rewards and recognizes their initiatives

• Organization and Processes

The Organization and its Processes must be compatible with innovation and not “get in the way”.

• Innovation Skills

Individuals must have Innovative Thinking Skills and managers and executives must understand the process of innovation and have Innovation Management Skills.

Based on our work with over 40 organizations, our Innovation Readiness Audits with over 20 organizations, and Innovation Readiness studies for three major groups (Executives, HR and Technology) Ideaction has a unique and practical understanding of the factors that separate innovative and non-innovative organizations.

Click on the three pillars for more details on how successful innovation happens.