Innovation & Process

Adriana Girdler

The ultimate partnership of efficiency Does your work place vision statement incorporate the word ‘innovation’ yet the company is far from being innovative. In fact, …

The ultimate partnership of efficiency

Does your work place vision statement incorporate the word ‘innovation’ yet the company is far from being innovative. In fact, most ideas are the same old ideas that have been recycled year after year? If you said yes to the above you are caught in the ‘innovation’ trap that lots of companies are currently in today.

Organization’s love the buzz word ‘innovation’. What does it truly mean? By definition it means to invent or introduce something new. Most companies however say they are innovative but still execute the same tactics, plans and/or ideas and never truly invent or introduce something new.

Why is this? I haven’t come across a company whose desire is to do the same old same old. What I come across are companies that are reacting and as a result are ‘firefighting’ daily issues while giving lip service to innovation. When you are firefighting you can’t invent or introduce something new! It’s truly impossible. Employees are trying to ‘get by’ and are ‘reacting’ and as a result don’t have the ‘time’ in their day to devote themselves to being creative.

So where does the process come in and how is it an ultimate partnership?

Why process and innovation need each other

A good efficient process stops the firefighting by simplifying ways of working and ensuring that each process step makes sense. Everyone knows how to perform the daily tasks so it doesn’t matter who does it. It frees up time for staff to spend time on being creative and thinking of innovative ideas. As a result, by eliminating firefighting daily, employees will be less stressed, confident that tasks are being completed properly and can focus their energies on the creative process of being innovative. This is why it’s the ultimate partnership. Like yin and yang, the sun and the moon, both are unique but one can’t not be without the other.

They complement each other and are in balance.

As a result, to be truly innovative, you need to have an efficient internal process for your daily ways of working. Why, it gives you the time needed to be creative so that you can be innovative. Now that is a win/win solution!

Does your work environment allow for innovation? Feel free to leave a comment below or shout out to us on Facebook or Twitter. Of course, you could always write your own blog post on the subject and share it with us… We’d love to read it!

Thanks For Sharing!

Photo of author

Adriana Girdler is a project manager, productivity specialist, entrepreneur, professional speaker, facilitator, visioning wizard, and author. As President of CornerStone Dynamics, Adriana is one of Canada’s prominent business productivity and project management specialists—helping both individuals and businesses do what they do, only better. She is a certified master black belt lean six sigma with over 20 years’ experience improving how companies work.

She also holds both PMP (project management professional) and CET (certified engineering technologist) designations. She’s a Tedx speaker, as well as a HuffPost and Thrive Global contributor. She has been interviewed on Global, CBC, CTV, CHCH, 680News Radio, Newstalk 1010, Sirius XM and published in the Globe and Mail and numerous industry magazines. WANT ADRIANA'S FREE ONLINE TRAINING? In 45 min, learn Adriana's 5 project management secrets she use on EVERY project. Sign up for the Free Webinar here: THE FAB FIVE FUNDAMENTALS OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT

SLAY Project Management

Online Course

5 Sections and 24 step-by-step HOW TO Videos! The only 5-hour on-line course that teaches you the PRACTICAL side of project management. This course will guide you step-by-step on HOW to successfully run a project and provides you with all the templates and tips you need to be successful.

Fab 5 Fundamentals

Free Training

Are you striving for successful projects, but get overwhelmed figuring out what elements of project management to focus on for the best results? In the Fab Five Fundamentals of Project Management, you’ll learn the five things you need to do on EVERY project to bring it to success.

Why Projects Fail?

Free Download

If you're new to projects or need a refresher, here's a guide of all the things I learned during my journey. Project success is about knowing how to navigate and stay clear of roadblocks, issues and problems. Understand the top 10 reasons why projects fail and how to avoid them.

Interested In Working Together?

We are business productivity experts. Contact us to learn how we can help your business become more efficient and increase profitability.

Join Our Newsletter

Join over 50,000 subscribers. Get the latest and the best in project management information delivered straight to your inbox.

Follow Us