An Eye to the Future: Embracing Innovation and Transformation

I recently spent a weekend packing towels and linens, toiletries and the extra supplies that we all accumulate in bathroom cabinets and closets. After five years of planning, researching and waiting for our post-pandemic backlogged contractor to become available, I am finally refinishing my bathroom. Fixtures have been selected, tiles are ordered, and a crew with sledgehammers and crowbars is turning my long-awaited goal into a very, very real project. In the end, I will have a beautiful, new, modern bathroom; until then, it will be messy, noisy and disruptive.

If I have learned anything during my 25 years in organizational leadership and as a turnaround specialist, it is this: If change is hard, innovation can be downright terrifying.

Today’s relentlessly shifting customer expectations demand that organizations continuously reinvent themselves… or risk becoming obsolete. Meeting these needs requires more than upgrades or enhancements (change); it necessitates a culture of continuous existential introspection, reimagination and transformation (innovation).

In other words, innovation is no longer a strategic advantage, but a fundamental necessity for survival.

Innovation takes courage.

In organizational leadership, discussions about innovation often include the word “disruption,” which in many other contexts carries a negative connotation: interrupting the norm, causing a distraction, even inciting instability.

Disruption also means altering the existing way of doing things within an organization — and even the organization itself. It can involve significant shifts in processes, technologies, business models, governance structures and a host of dynamics that challenge the status quo and require adaptation to remain competitive.

Often what stands in the way of this vital progress, especially in long established organizations, is a profound attachment to the original vision, methods and processes that built the current state. Rooted in the fear that new approaches might dilute or undermine original achievements, this mentality can create a stagnant culture where innovation is stifled, and progress becomes a daunting challenge.

Overcoming this fear is not just beneficial for the organization, but essential for success.

Create a pathway for innovation.

By adapting to new realities and meeting the needs of today’s customers, organizations can build upon their legacy in a way that is both forward-thinking and respectful of their history. This balance is key to sustaining long-term success and relevance. Strategies I have used to strike this balance include:

1. Fostering a Culture of Curiosity: Encouraging an environment in which questioning the status quo and exploring new ideas is valued, and leaders model curiosity and openness to new methods, technologies and perspectives.
2. Embracing Data-Driven Decision Making: Considering objective insights that challenge entrenched assumptions and guide strategic decisions.
3. Creating a Safe Space for Experimentation: Encouraging experimentation without the fear of repercussions.
4. Engaging with Customers Regularly: Maintaining an ongoing dialogue with customers to understand their needs and expectations — and using this feedback to drive product development and service enhancements.

You might notice that I use the word “customers” a lot, even in context that many associations might use “members.” I’ll explain why in my next post. 

Until then, I am inviting you to join me in creating a pathway for innovation at the Academy. I will be speaking about innovation, transformation and keeping an eye to the future at Monday’s Keynote Session at the Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo^® in Minneapolis.

And stop by the Visionary Voices Pavilion — where attendees are invited to share their ideas and insights through facilitated focus groups, spontaneous video interviews, social media posts and a Monday afternoon Meet-and-Greet with yours truly. I hope to see you there.

Wylecia

P.S. Thank you for the amazing response to my call to apply for my inaugural CEO Advisory Panel! I will respond to each applicant shortly.