Approaching Innovation from the Ground Up Eagle’s Flight’s working definition for innovation is “making something better by doing it in a new or different way”. From this stems the clarity between innovation (making something better), continuous process improvement (improving an existing process), and creativity (creating something from nothing). In short, innovation can be taught, and then demonstrated by anyone. In a 2009 study of innovation conducted by the Boston Consulting Group1, 64% of survey respondents identified innovation as one of their top-three strategic priorities. Not only that, but statistics showed that innovators outperformed their peers by 430 basis points over the previous three years and by 260 basis points over the previous ten years. So the case has been made for the need to innovate. The challenge is where to begin. Innovation today is about much more than new products. It is about reinventing business tactics and building entirely new markets. It is about selecting and executing the right ideas and bringing them quickly and efficiently to market. It involves building a culture that supports innovation and following practical steps that ensure the innovative process becomes engrained in the day to day work. It is that integration of the innovative process with the daily work environment that is more difficult to attain and is the focus for Eagle’s Flight’s approach to innovation training. Our approach is grounded in two key principles:

1) Innovation can be taught 2) Real innovation occurs only when new ideas are brought to fruition, which requires ongoing

management support. Integrating a Culture of Innovation In many organizations, innovation is left to certain groups within the company, for example, the marketing department, creative team or high potential individuals. In order for innovation to really take hold in an organization, it needs to become the norm for all levels and positions. Doing this can provide an organization with a huge competitive advantage. Research conducted by Oliver Wyman Leadership Development and the Economist Intelligence Unit2

identified three crucial areas for companies that excel at innovation: 1) Their leaders create an environment – or climate – where innovation thrives 2) The importance of innovation and the critical role every employee plays are hard-wired into

the company’s culture 3) Organizational structures support generation and execution of new ideas.

Practically speaking, to ensure success, organizations must put a formal structure for innovation in place - ideally involving everyone from management to front line employees – and clearly communicate that innovative efforts are a key priority. Companies should ensure innovation is reflected in their mission statement and celebrate successes. Group attitudes and behaviors can have a critical impact on success, so all employees must have a clear understanding of the conditions in which innovation thrives, and in which it can fail. 1Boston Consulting Group 2009 Senior Executive Innovation Survey 2Global Leadership Imperative, Oliver Wyman Leadership Development & the Economist Intelligence Unit, 2007

Creating a culture of innovation involves support for taking appropriate risks and honoring “attempts” as part of the innovative process. Positive results are important – obviously they are the desired outcome of successful innovation. However, people must also perceive value in working on innovative activities, even those that do not ultimately move on to implementation. Without this, individuals will become less and less likely to experiment and explore new ideas. Innovation Executed Much attention is given to the creative brainstorming and idea-generation process. This stage is fairly straightforward – there are a myriad of techniques that bring structure to the generation and massaging of ideas. Actively managing the creative process is key: acknowledge diverse thinking; keep the goal clear and visible; create time for the process, and ensure teams are varied in their approach and thinking. However, it is paramount to understand that innovation brainstorming is not the same as innovation realized. Of companies surveyed in the Boston Consulting Group survey3, 45% identified their greatest challenge as moving quickly from idea generation to initial sale. In the same survey, the discipline to enforce project timelines and milestones was acknowledged to be the greatest execution challenge by 41% of respondents. Many companies come up with great ideas but unless the ideas are implemented, they should not be considered innovations; they are merely great ideas. This is where the focus needs to shift from simply generating ideas to including a system for executing. We believe that innovation is part idea-generation, part execution and part creating a corporate climate where innovation can flourish at all levels. Our training focuses on providing practical models and tools for effectively converting concepts to workable solutions. Innovation in Action™ – The Eagle’s Flight Approach to Innovation Training Innovation in Action is a hands-on, one-day course that addresses the culture, processes, and tools that are required to make innovation simple, attainable, and effective. Throughout this program, participants will:

Identify the behaviors and cultural conditions that support and drive innovation Apply tools and techniques to enhance ideation and innovative thinking Discover the process for converting concepts to workable solutions.

Innovation is explored using a number of techniques, including group discussion, practical application exercises, experiential activities and a ten-step process for converting concepts to workable, innovative solutions. Attention is given to clarity of purpose, collaboration, ideation, roadblocks, and action planning, and a number of techniques are provided to enhance ideation and ensure that productive innovation occurs along the way. The day culminates with participants applying all that they have learned to their own business relevant innovation opportunities. 3Boston Consulting Group 2009 Senior Executive Innovation Survey

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