Innovation Cultures - Thinking Innovation v2 | Page 32

IMPLEMENTING INNOVATION: by Teresa Di Cairano There is nothing permanent except change. If you want to sound brainy, this quote is from the Greek philosopher, Heraclitus, but has been echoed by many. It reminds us of the perpetual lifecycle that organizations, the economy and people go through. For most, a relatively stable state is eventually interrupted by periodic or dramatic leaps into new ones. Even when these changes are welcomed or planned, their impact on organizations, systems and people is significant. While businesses increasingly respond to compressed product and service innovation cycles, governments are pressured to evolve their organizations to one of increased transparency, integrated service delivery and more participatory approaches. As new strategies emerge, organizations need to make a shift in their states and align their operations to respond to a new reality. Whether the terms used are innovation, business transformation or modernization (in the public sector), change agents are tasked with creating a roadmap for the future. So what tools do leaders use to make sense of these changes and build a blueprint for moving forward? 30 Change before you have to. Jack Welch