Compensating Trail-Blazing Innovation
By Joyce Wycoff
 Question:
Which is most important: the spark, the fuel, or the flame?
Faux Fact (one that we can accept even when we can’t prove it):
All innovations (great and small) carry only a faint resemblance to the original idea that sparked them.
Insight:
Owning and rewarding ideas is counterproductive. Imagine that you are camping with friends on a cold
winter night in the woods. All of you had spent a good part of the day gathering wood but then discovered
that no one had matches. After arranging a tiny nest of dry tinder, you are all striking rocks together
to create a spark. Finally, one catches and Bill says, “That was my spark, I get the steak tonight and the
rest of you can eat beans.” Hmmmm. Does it make any sense to recognize and reward people who had the
initial idea but not recognizing and rewarding all the people who made the fire possible?
Insight:
Building, molding, shaping, refining, crafting, testing and reworking ideas are just as important as
stimulating and capturing the original idea spark.
Insight:
Gathering enough fuel to keep the fire burning is just as critical as the spark. And, what’s the
fuel for innovation? New information and connections, stories and metaphors, conversations, understanding
customer needs, working together collaboratively, and deliberately focusing the energies of people with a
diversity of perspectives, experiences, skills, talents and thinking styles.
Insight:
Striking rocks to create sparks is great… but wouldn’t it be better to have a match? And,
what’s the match that creates a possibility whenever it’s struck? People with energy and
passion for a challenge. Not all matches light fires: some flicker out before reaching the fuel, some
are blown out by harsh judgments, some fall on barren ground. But the potential for fire — for
innovation — is always there.
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Conference Alert: Conference Alert: InnovationConvergence 2004 celebrates its 10th year with
keynoters: Larry Keeley, Doblin Group, Henry Chesbrough “Open Innovation,” Tom Kelley,
IDEO, Stephen Denning, Springboard Stories, David Cooperrider, Appreciative Inquiry and more.
Sept 26–29, Minneapolis. NOTE: InnovationNetwork members receive a 20% discount on Convergence
registration. To join IN, go to: http://www.thinksmart.com/inmembership/index.html
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