Innovation. The undisputed Holy Grail of business drivers for the past decade. Thanks to several run away successful companies with innovation at their core, the term is now rooted in almost every corporate mission. Those once on the outside waiting for the trend to stick are now quickly trying to figure out what it means. More importantly what it means for them. Unfortunately, with my experience consulting many companies, they often do not stop to think what innovation means for their customers.
Wikipedia defines Innovation as: the creation of better or more effective products, processes, services, technologies, or ideas that are accepted by markets, governments, and society.
It is further noted that innovation differs beyond creation, in that innovation is the actual implementation of the creation.
Innovation is a trendy buzzword used often in corporate lingo and tossed around the boardroom and executive meetings, but is innovation truly what they should be focused on? Yes. And no.
In my previous post, I wrote about (in my opinion) the “runner up” management trend of the past decade, customer intimacy. So if a company wants to be innovative, they do indeed need to create better or more effective products, processes, services, technologies, or ideas. However, to be quite frank, customers do not appreciate innovation in that sense. They appreciate awesomeness.
In this dated and controversial HBR post The Awesomeness Manifesto it is argued that innovation itself needs innovation. Furthermore the author claims that instead of innovating, create awesomeness.
Summarized in the article: Awesomeness happens when thick — real, meaningful — value is created by people who love what they do, added to insanely great stuff, and multiplied by communities who are delighted and inspired because they are authentically better off. That’s a better kind of innovation, built for 21st century economics.
I agree. My mom (and likely your customers) does not care about innovation. Innovation is not a word they use. Instead, they equate innovation with awesomeness. My mom will say awesome and that is enough to make her want that offer. Think about it. When you factor in the “human factor” how do people really relate to your company/offer? Or better yet, according to Jeff Bezos of Amazon “your brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room”.
Me personally, I do not describe my beloved apple products to my friends as innovative. I do however say my iPad is awesome. Perhaps it is my California roots that make me embrace this word so enthusiastically. And while I can make no claims, I am quite sure those companies that are leading the pack in greatness are making sure their customers think they are awesome.
I’m not saying that the term awesomeness should replace innovation around the corporate boardroom. I know in some cultures the term may be interpreted as juvenile. I am saying that companies that focus on their consumers and making awesome products and/or experiences for them will end up being innovative.
You may agree with me or not, and that is the point. I would love to hear your driving factor for innovating into the 21st century.
By the way … Umar’s post has generated such a great deal of attention (good &bad) that The Manifesto is now a collaborative, open-source project, to which anyone can contribute. Personally, I think that is awesome.
