How to create a bottom-up innovation program in which employees suggest ideas to improve business processes, increase customer satisfaction, reduce operational costs, and raise the top line? Employees know company products, processes, and customers; and they often have ideas to improve the business operations and how to provide better service to customers, but often they have no means to voice these ideas. The presentation is based on my new book The Bright Idea Box, which is a step-by-step guide for stimulating bottom-up innovation and creating a culture of innovation in an established organization.

3. Creativity is thinking up new things. Innovation is doing new things.
– Theodore Levitt

4. In.no.va.tion
Invention does not equal Innovation

5. Innovation = Ideas + Execution + Adoption
Ideas Execution Adoption

6. Types of Innovations
• Disruptive
• Sustained

7. Domains of Innovation
Business
Domains
Revenue
Generating
Cost
Saving
Business
Process
Business
Model

9. Leaders in Innovation
What can we learn from them?
75%
48% 45% 59%
33%
36%
45%
Innovation Premium. Forbes, Aug 2011

10. Employee Ideas

11. Sources of Innovation
Vision Driven
• Information rich, Orderly,
Large… often aligned with
customer needs
Idea Driven
• Interaction rich, Chaotic,
Incremental… often aligned
with customer’s wants
Top Down
Bottom Up

12. Sources of Ideas
0 10 20 30 40 50
R&D
Consultants
Customers
Partners
Employees
Economist Oct 2007 - IBM Global CEO Study

13. Innovation in Service Industry

14. Service is a Promise…

15. Promise cannot be touched, held, seen…
BUT,… felt through the services your employees provide

16. Give Voice to Employees
Create means for employees to contribute
It’s often the employees—rather than outside consultants—
who know a company’s products and processes best…
(Wall Street Journal, 2011)

17. Teach Employees How to Spot, Nurture, and Develop Ideas

18. M.A.S.T.E.R. Innovation Program

19. 6-Step M.A.S.T.E.R. Innovation Program
1. Mobilize for a Purpose
2. Amass Ideas in a Central Repository
3. Support and Educate Employees
4. Triage Ideas for Validity
5. Execute Valid Ideas
6. Recognize Employees for their Contributions

20. It is not enough to be industrious; so are the
ants. What are you industrious about?
— Henry David Thoreau
Mobilize

21. Mobilize Employees for a Cause
• Vision & Purpose
• Areas of Focus

22. Every composer knows the anguish and
despair occasioned by forgetting ideas which
one had no time to write down.
— Hector Berlioz
Amass

23. System to Amass Ideas
MY BIG IDEA

24. The difference between “involvement” and
“commitment” is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the
chicken was “involved”—the pig was “committed.”
— Anonymous
Support

25. Support and Encourage Employees
• Time
• Seed Capital
• Encouragement

26. All that glitters is not gold.
— William Shakespeare
Triage

27. Triage and Refine Ideas
•Idea Screening Team
Validate and Refine
•Executive TeamPrioritize
•Implementation TeamImplement

28. An idea is worthless unless you use it.
— John Maxwell
Execute

29. Plans to Execute Ideas
Timely implementation of ideas encourages more ideas…

30. Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is
excellent in others belong to us as well.
— Voltaire
Recognize

31. Recognize Employees
• Prop
for accepted ideas
• Wall of Fame
for implemented ideas
Mix of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards… but, emphasize intrinsic rewards

32. Program Rollout
• Sell it to Employees
• Recruit Idea Screening Team Members
• Create Recurring Meetings
• Recognize Contributors and Promote the
Program
• Solicit Feedback to Refine the program

33. Lessons Learned

34. Lead With Passion

35. Not Another Initiative

36. You Can’t be an Olympian in a Day

37. Innovation has a Shelf Life
Novelty
Quality
Commodity
Exclusivity

38. Ideas are Just the Beginning
1% inspiration and 99% Perspiration – Edison

39. It’s a Journey
• Small Wins
• Prototype
• Fail Frequently, Fail Early
• Test, Refine, Implement, Refine…
• Continuous Learning

40. Step-by-Step Guide for Starting A Bottom-up
Innovation Program

41. Daniel Pink: “The Bright Idea Box is part
inspiration, part workbook, part resource, and a
book everyone can learn from.”
Brian Tracy: “This powerful, practical book
shows you how to motivate, inspire, and get the
very best out of each person in your company.”
Marshall Goldsmith: “The Bright Idea Box
teaches you how to create practical, viable
programs that will transform the company and
the bottom line!”
Much Admired Book of the Year!

42. Thank you!
Jag Randhawa
Author of THE BRIGHT IDEA BOX
www.TheBrightIdeaBox.com
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HMTDQDK