Companies need to innovate. Business owners hear this all the time, but what does it really mean?

In the New York Times article Want to Innovate? Get Ready to Kiss Some Frogs, Andy Mills, president of Medline Industries tells his people to kiss a lot of frogs.  This expression is Mills’ way of communicating that not everything you initiate is going to work out - but you don’t know until you try.  So try.

A challenge to innovation is when we allow what we know to limit what we can see.

For the first decade after the movie camera had been invented it was used in a limited way. In the late 1800’s the camera was set in the back of a theater to film the stage act. Most of the early films recorded segments of magic shows, plays, and vaudeville performances.  It was only after they discovered that the camera could be moved, that a revolution in storytelling occurred.

On the surface it seems pretty simple. Move the camera. And when you do, you create new ways of adding value.

In their 2012 annual report, Cisco explains a key differentiator over the years has been its ability to capture market transitions which drive innovation that enables their customers’s long-term success.

Cisco CEO John Chambers continually reminds business leaders: "Companies that don't reinvent themselves will be left behind."

What Prevents Accountability And What You can Do About It

When we look at the importance of accountability throughout many organizations, culturally there are often certain dynamics that have prevented the elevation of individuals being answerable for their results.  Among these dynamics are: 

"There are no secrets to success.  It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."  Colin Powell

Your sales managers will make or break your sales culture change effort.

Actions speak louder than words!

Off the shelf solutions don’t change culture!