What is innovation?

Recently, when questions about innovation were posed in two professional executive-level online forums, they generated a startling range of comments on what constituted innovation including some nearly unintelligible management and consultant speak and clever word plays like "innovation = invention plus commercialization". What was clear was that what constituted innovation wasn't clear in the minds of many and not everyone viewed innovation as an entirely positive influence.

In life science, innovation is often pivotal to success and to nurture it means you have to first be clear on what it is! Here is our attempt to shed some light:

- Innovation is doing or using something (knowledge, an invention, technology, materials, skills...) differently, in an unexpected way.

- Innovation is not invention or discovery but the novel use of discovery or invention.

- Innovation can enable further discoveries and inventions and we know it can be vital for successful commercialization.

- Innovation relates to the quality and novelty of your actions, how you use what is available and possible in a different way.

Biotech management sometimes laments about how tight budgets will limit innovation. But based on the above, you realize innovation doesn't have to be limited by money constraints at all.

TIP: Innovation is key in the successful translation of science to product. Be sure you are clear on what it is and what it does. Get the PDF of this issue»

Comfortable Innovation

Do you need innovation? Sometimes? All the time? Only when there's a problem? Not at all?  Your answer may have a lot to do with your job function.

Many managers charged with making things run smoothly, find innovation threatening, a disruptive influence. If it's not broken, why fix it? But guarding the status quo isn't always sufficient for a life science company and any company can become tired and stagnant.

Life science companies lose their capacity for innovation when they adhere too closely to dogma (focusing on the mechanics of a process over the reason for the process, for example), adhere too fervently to systems – uncomfortable being the company doing something differently, or for the first time. Plugging away may get a job done, eventually, but the time and cost, both financially and competitively can be enormous in biotech.

An innovative, productive culture sets an expectation of thinking outside the box, looks beyond the scope of the challenge for perspective and inspiration and is willing to try something different to add greater value, or solve a problem in a much better way. But to be productive, it also respects that diligent, reliable and productive effort must also be part of the equation if progress is to be realized.

Ideally, you want innovation and diligent effort hand in hand, both used in the right way, in the right place, at the right time.

TIP: Reward diligent effort but set the expectation that  where needed, everyone should look outside the box for answers.  Brilliant performance is one that gets the job done in the best way possible.  Get the PDF of this issue»