Why it seems plausible

The road to the top was hard! They receive praise and admiration from all sides. Their sales and profits are bubbling. They know their way around. Why would you change something? They are obviously doing everything right. In addition, your entire organization is aligned with the existing products and processes. Should you take a risk?

Why you’re wrong

Well, are you successful? That is what your competition wants! Are you sure that it is not in the process of making your offer more efficient, simpler, cheaper or better in order to take valuable market share from you? You reduce your risk through innovation! Never stick unreflectively to old habits. Yesterday’s successful strategies do not necessarily apply to tomorrow.

Why it seems plausible

Innovation is not one of your company’s core processes. The importance of innovation activities is correspondingly low. Basically, they only disrupt day-to-day business and are not seen as value-creating working hours. “I would have to release my employees for this” is not an unusual train of thought. After all, the Daily Business always takes precedence.

Why you’re wrong

Without innovation there is no progress, without progress there is no future. Innovation must be as important in your company as any other business process. As important as day-to-day business is in the short term, innovations are important in the long term. It’s not about the next 3 months, it’s about the next 10 years. Don’t they deserve at least the same attention?

Why it seems plausible

In the engineery-heavy German-speaking world, innovation is all too often reduced to: “How do we make our existing product a bit better?” Companies often have an incomplete perception of innovation and sit back with the belief that an R & D department and a (mostly non-functioning) operational proposal system or KVP system is enough.

Why you’re wrong

Do you know that there are many other areas of innovation? In addition to products, you innovate processes, services, management, organization, and business models. The potential for success in unnoticed fields of innovation often turns out to be much more relevant than the pure concentration on product innovations with their declining earnings growth.

Why it seems plausible

New technologies are, without a doubt, often drivers of innovation. This is widely reported in the media and publications. No wonder most people equate innovation with radical, society-changing achievements such as e-mobility or disruptive internet-based business models. But you have nothing to do with that yourself.

Why you’re wrong

In fact, an estimated 90 of all innovations are incremental in nature. They gradually build up from existing and familiar. A small step for humanity, but a big step for your company-the creative advancement of products, processes or services is as important to your company as completely new technologies for society.

Why it seems plausible

The Wunderwuzzi! He turns ideas into innovations. He speaks the language of the R & E department as well as that of controlling and distribution. He knows all the trends. He understands what your customer wants. And he fights for an idea, even when the biggest resistance comes from his own company.

Why you’re wrong

An innovation manager stands alone in a wide corridor if he is not constantly protected by senior management and his position exposed. All executives must have the same understanding of his job. Today, innovations are cross-departmental and networked. Innovation is the basic task of every employee-from the shareholder to the caretaker.