Pascal Malotti,
Consulting & Marketing Director,
Valtech France

Faces Of Innovation

This is Not the Time for Innovation

That's not a good idea. Nobody else is doing that right now. This is not the right moment. If you have heard these words before, you're not alone. Innovative ideas are disruptive, and they do conjure up fear. There are as many defenses against innovation as there are new ideas. You can be sure that these fears are alive and well in your company, in every company. Those fears may be alive in you.

What can you do about it?

Clearing the way for innovation involves boldness, willingness to fail, and freedom to explore. Fighting off the demons that stifle innovation is fundamentally uncomfortable, yet charging into new territory is also exhilarating interviewing

Consider the innovations that have transformed society and human behavior throughout history. Endless attempts eventually led to breakthroughs no one could have predicted.

Before he was a luminary in the transportation industry, Henry Ford was a failure. He couldn't get financial backing for his ventures, he struggled to develop a business model for his inventions, and he encountered doubts from all corners. While others got cold feet, he did not. He pressed on.

Today's business climate is entirely different. Investors seek out innovative companies, and those who shake off the status quo are rewarded with media attention. Still, some fears persist. Many companies are gridlocked, and need to create more space for innovation.

Next time your earth-shaking ideas are met with resistance or dismissal, you will assure yourself and all who will listen that it's true, this is not the time for innovation. there will never for the erosion of our norms. So let's do it now, and change the world.

"Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently." –Henry A. Ford