Innovation Evangelists - 5 Common Traits

Innovation has become more important than ever as companies look to separate themselves in a business environment that has changed dramatically over the past 18 months.

Customer buying habits have changed, expansion plans may have turned to retrenchment, struggling competitors compete by slashing prices, and suppliers may be spending more time in front of a bankruptcy judge than your purchasing team.

As I have stated before, innovation is a key strategic pillar to any successful organization, albeit product development, R&D, process improvement, or fostering an innovation mindset in the corporate culture. For innovation to take root, particularly in mid-sized companies, Innovation Evangelists are needed.

These Innovation Evangelists may come from different areas of the organization, but they all share five common traits:

1. Passion: Innovation Evangelists have an absolute passion about the need to change, to challenge the status quo, and to move the organization forward


2. Big Picture Perspective: Innovation Evangelists can see the larger game board of the industry and can pinpoint significant changes that will affect the company's position in the market


3. Street Level Execution: Innovation Evangelists not only see the big picture, but understand how to bring those changes into specific projects that will lead to change. They have the ability to connect the dots of various projects and see how they collectively affect the larger strategic goal


4. Corporate Persuasion: Innovation Evangelists have the position and persuasion in the organization to bring together a coalition of players to get things done. They are respected, people want to follow them, and they can therefore turn their passion into corporate action


5. Action Oriented: Innovation Evangelists ultimately get things done. They drive the need to move a company forward, the identification of key projects that will meet this goal, and the allocation of the resources to make these projects successful

Who are the passionate Innovation Evangelists in your organization? How well is your organization looking at the larger industry game board and developing the projects to move forward? And what actions are being taken to achieve your company's larger strategic goals?