Innovation - Competency
Definition: Innovation is the process of creating or developing new methods, products, or solutions. It involves seeking and finding creative ways to change and improve to solve problems. It requires a willingness to be flexible and to challenge current processes through a critical analysis. Innovation needs to be supported and promoted since it may be disruptive. It can sometimes help to offer rewards/recognition for innovative ideas. It may be necessary to provide guidance, empower or incentivize employees as well as to coordinate and focus resources, training, and the efforts of cross-functional teams.
Administrative Skill
Decision Making
Quality
Critical Thinking
Problem Solving
Initiative
Innovation
Goals
Time Management
Change Management
Juggling Multiple Responsibilities
Achievement
Objectives
Results Oriented
Technical
Technology Use/Management
Clarity
Objectives
Risk Management
Safety
What is Innovation?
Core Components of Feedback
Why is Innovation important in the workplace?
What are key aspects of Innovation?
How can I improve my Innovation Skills?
Questionnaire Items to Include
Core Components of Feedback
Why is Innovation important in the workplace?
What are key aspects of Innovation?
How can I improve my Innovation Skills?
Questionnaire Items to Include
360-Feedback Surveys Measuring Innovation:
Survey 1 (4-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 2 (4-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 3 (5-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 4 (5-point scale; radio buttons)
Survey 5 (4-point scale; words)
Survey 6 (4-point scale; words)
Survey 7 (5-point scale; competency comments; N/A)
Survey 8 (3-point scale; Agree/Disagree words; N/A)
Survey 9 (3-point scale; Strength/Development; N/A)
Survey 10 (Comment boxes only)
Survey 11 (Single rating per competency)
Survey 12 (Slide-bar scale)
Survey 13 (4-point scale; numbers; floating anchors)
Survey 14 (4-point scale; N/A)
Survey 1 (4-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 2 (4-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 3 (5-point scale; Competency Comments)
Survey 4 (5-point scale; radio buttons)
Survey 5 (4-point scale; words)
Survey 6 (4-point scale; words)
Survey 7 (5-point scale; competency comments; N/A)
Survey 8 (3-point scale; Agree/Disagree words; N/A)
Survey 9 (3-point scale; Strength/Development; N/A)
Survey 10 (Comment boxes only)
Survey 11 (Single rating per competency)
Survey 12 (Slide-bar scale)
Survey 13 (4-point scale; numbers; floating anchors)
Survey 14 (4-point scale; N/A)
Performance Assessments that include Innovation:
Assessment 1 (5-point scale; IDP Comments)
Assessment 2 (3-point scale with Comments)
Assessment 3 (Manager Assessment; 360-Feedback)
Assessment 4 (3-point scale; Rating Limits)
Assessment 5 (3-point scale; Rating Limits)
Assessment 6 (5-point scale with Comments)
Assessment 7 (Comment Boxes Only; IDP)
Assessment 8 (Comment Boxes Only)
Assessment 9 (3-point scale with Letter Grade)
Assessment 10 (360-Feedback; Bonus/Merit Pay)
Assessment 11 (Core Values & Job Competencies)
Assessment 12 (4-point scale; 6 Comment Boxes)
Assessment 1 (5-point scale; IDP Comments)
Assessment 2 (3-point scale with Comments)
Assessment 3 (Manager Assessment; 360-Feedback)
Assessment 4 (3-point scale; Rating Limits)
Assessment 5 (3-point scale; Rating Limits)
Assessment 6 (5-point scale with Comments)
Assessment 7 (Comment Boxes Only; IDP)
Assessment 8 (Comment Boxes Only)
Assessment 9 (3-point scale with Letter Grade)
Assessment 10 (360-Feedback; Bonus/Merit Pay)
Assessment 11 (Core Values & Job Competencies)
Assessment 12 (4-point scale; 6 Comment Boxes)
What is Innovation?
Innovation is the disciplined ability to generate, develop, and refine ideas that create meaningful improvement and new value. It begins with building the conditions where creativity can thrive--establishing frameworks that support experimentation, encouraging open idea-sharing, and designing improved methods that advance organizational goals. Innovators actively seek out new possibilities by exploring alternative approaches, discovering unconventional methods, and finding resourceful ways to achieve outcomes even when constraints are tight. This mindset is grounded in problem-solving: assessing acceptable levels of risk, identifying fresh solutions, and recognizing opportunities that emerge from new technologies, processes, or insights.
Innovation also requires the courage to challenge the status quo. Effective innovators question assumptions, scrutinize existing procedures, and push for alternatives that better serve the organization's mission. Their work is analytical as much as it is creative--they examine current workflows for improvement opportunities, study the competitive landscape to identify where innovation will have the greatest impact, and establish clear performance indicators to track progress. Flexibility strengthens this process by ensuring that new ideas are adapted to the organization's context, aligned with both short- and long-term goals, and customized to meet evolving customer needs. At its most transformative, innovation becomes disruptive: advocating for bold strategies that open new markets, redefine industry standards, and keep the organization agile in rapidly changing environments.
Sustaining innovation depends on a culture that supports, empowers, and aligns people around creative progress. Leaders promote innovation by championing change, encouraging contributions from all levels, and maintaining an open-minded stance toward new ideas. They empower employees by allocating time, resources, and recognition for innovative work, while coordinating efforts through committees, strategic focus areas, and value-creating priorities. Training and resources ensure that employees have the skills and tools needed to innovate effectively, while strong guidance helps set priorities, allocate resources, and follow through on initiatives. Finally, innovation flourishes in environments where information flows freely--where people build on one another's ideas, communicate openly, and treat every proposal as a potential catalyst for improvement.
Innovation also requires the courage to challenge the status quo. Effective innovators question assumptions, scrutinize existing procedures, and push for alternatives that better serve the organization's mission. Their work is analytical as much as it is creative--they examine current workflows for improvement opportunities, study the competitive landscape to identify where innovation will have the greatest impact, and establish clear performance indicators to track progress. Flexibility strengthens this process by ensuring that new ideas are adapted to the organization's context, aligned with both short- and long-term goals, and customized to meet evolving customer needs. At its most transformative, innovation becomes disruptive: advocating for bold strategies that open new markets, redefine industry standards, and keep the organization agile in rapidly changing environments.
Sustaining innovation depends on a culture that supports, empowers, and aligns people around creative progress. Leaders promote innovation by championing change, encouraging contributions from all levels, and maintaining an open-minded stance toward new ideas. They empower employees by allocating time, resources, and recognition for innovative work, while coordinating efforts through committees, strategic focus areas, and value-creating priorities. Training and resources ensure that employees have the skills and tools needed to innovate effectively, while strong guidance helps set priorities, allocate resources, and follow through on initiatives. Finally, innovation flourishes in environments where information flows freely--where people build on one another's ideas, communicate openly, and treat every proposal as a potential catalyst for improvement.
Core Components of Feedback
- Creates and Develops: origination and implementation. This dimension highlights the ability to actively produce new ideas, methods, solutions, or products and bring them to life. It involves generating creative and practical approaches to solving problems, developing systems, and fostering a culture where innovation is actively shaped and executed within an organization.
- Finds and Seeks: exploration and discovery. It centers on looking externally and internally to identify opportunities, innovative ideas, and untapped potential for improvement. This dimension involves seeking out inspiration, leveraging new technologies or market trends, and finding ways to apply external insights to foster growth and adapt to change.
- Solves Problems: action-oriented and practical innovation. It emphasizes identifying fresh approaches to challenges, implementing best practices, and taking calculated risks to generate effective solutions. This dimension is centered on leveraging innovation to address immediate, specific problems, improve efficiency, and seize opportunities in a tangible and results-driven manner.
- Challenges Current Processes: incremental innovation and improvement by reevaluating existing systems. It involves questioning assumptions, simplifying procedures, and fostering diverse ideas to enhance efficiency, productivity, and value within established frameworks.
- Analytical: systematic evaluation and strategic foresight. It involves reviewing processes, analyzing data, assessing competitive environments, and setting measurable goals to optimize innovation outcomes. This dimension reflects a more reflective and structured approach, using insights and metrics to guide decisions and continuously refine systems.
- Flexible: adaptability and refinement in the innovation process. It involves tailoring ideas to fit organizational needs, adjusting strategies to align with goals, and optimizing solutions for maximum impact and feasibility. This dimension reflects a focus on evolving and fine-tuning concepts to ensure their successful application, as well as the willingness to adapt to changing conditions and feedback to achieve better outcomes.
- Disruptive Innovation: transformational and groundbreaking change that redefines markets and industries. It advocates for radical ideas that challenge traditional business models, create new opportunities, and push boundaries to develop innovative products, services, or strategies that significantly shift market dynamics.
- Supports and Promotes: actively encouraging and championing innovation at all levels. It highlights creating a supportive environment where employees feel empowered to contribute ideas, promoting creativity and risk-taking, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and curiosity.
- Willing and Receptive: open-mindedness and readiness to embrace innovation. It highlights the ability to entertain new ideas, accept unconventional approaches, and adapt to changing circumstances. This dimension is centered around being approachable and open to innovation as a mindset, ensuring an environment where diverse perspectives and experimental efforts are valued.
- Empowers and Incentivizes: enabling and motivating individuals to contribute to innovation. It focuses on creating an environment where employees feel supported and encouraged to experiment, take creative risks, and implement their ideas.
Why is Innovation important in the workplace?
Innovation is a vital skill for several reasons:
- Expanding Markets: Innovation enables individuals to create new opportunities for growth and position their department/company as industry leaders.
- Problem-Solving: Innovation helps an individual to view problems new perspectives offering new methods/techniques for solving problems; conducting a more critical analysis of the problems can yeild unexpected potential/novel solutions.
- Efficiency: Innovations can make your organization more efficient and capable of generating products/services.
- Resilience: Implementing novel solutions/processes/procedures can increase an organization's resilience to changes and setbacks.
- Customer Service: Innovations can give customers more tailored products/services to better meet their needs.
- Enhanced Brand Image: Innovations enable customers to view your products/services a leading edge which can also attract viral content and news coverage.
What are key aspects of Innovation?
- Creating and Developing solutions/products/services
- Finding and seeking novel solutions and ideas
- Solving problems with a fresh perspective
- Challenge current processes and procedures
- Analyze the situation and the issues
- Remain flexible in considering options and ideas
- Innovations may be disruptive
- Employees may need support in resources and training
- Empower employees and offer incentives
How can I improve my Innovation Skills?
- Stay Curious and Open-Minded: Ask Questions: Always be curious and ask questions about how things work and why they are the way they are. Challenge Assumptions: Don't take things at face value. Challenge existing assumptions and consider alternative perspectives.
- Continual Learning: Continuous Education: Pursue courses, workshops, or certifications in areas that interest you or are relevant to your field. Read Widely: Read books, articles, and research papers on a variety of topics to broaden your knowledge base.
- Foster Creativity: Brainstorming Sessions: Regularly engage in brainstorming sessions, either individually or with a group, to generate new ideas.
- Collaborate and Network: Cross-Functional Teams: Work with people from different departments or fields to gain diverse perspectives and ideas. Attend Conferences: Participate in industry conferences, seminars, and meetups to network with other innovators and learn from their experiences.
- Experiment and Take Risks: Develop and test prototypes: Develop prototypes of your ideas and test them in real-world scenarios to gather feedback and refine them. Embrace Failure: View failures as learning opportunities and use them to improve your future efforts.
- Stay Informed: Industry Research: Stay updated on industry trends, customer preferences, and emerging technologies. Understand the Competition: Analyze what competitors are doing and identify areas where you can innovate to offer better products/services.
- Create an Innovative Environment: Encourage Innovation: Foster a culture of innovation within your team or organization by encouraging creative thinking and recognizing innovative efforts. Allocate Time and Resources: Dedicate time and resources to innovation projects and provide support for experimentation.
What questions could be included on a 360-degree survey that measure innovation?
When creating a questionnaire to measure innovation, be sure to include items that measure creating, seeking, and finding solutions to problems. Include items that measure the willingness to challenge assumptions; be flexible; be open to disruptive changes. These questions are grouped into different facets of innovation. When creating a 360-degree or other performance assessment, try to select one or two items from each group.
Questionnaire Items to Include
Creates and Develops
Creates and Develops focuses on origination and implementation. This dimension highlights the ability to actively produce new ideas, methods, solutions, or products and bring them to life. It involves generating creative and practical approaches to solving problems, developing systems, and fostering a culture where innovation is actively shaped and executed within an organization.
- Creates new and efficient processes.
- Creates innovative methods of developing business opportunities.
- Develops innovative products or services.
- Generates innovative and practical solutions.
- Creates improved methods or solutions for meeting goals and objectives.
- Creates a framework to support innovation.
- Creates new programs and systems.
- Creates innovative solutions to critical problems facing the Company.
- Creates new products or services.
- Creates new ways of doing routine tasks.
- Generates alternative solutions to problems and challenges.
- Develops effective solutions for viewing problems from a different point of view.
- Generates innovative and practical ideas and approaches.
- Develops several approaches or solutions to a problem.
- Creates a safe environment for idea-sharing.
- Creates new and imaginative approaches to work-related issues.
- Creates innovative products or services.
- Develops new products and services.
Finds and Seeks
Finds and Seeks emphasizes exploration and discovery. It centers on looking externally and internally to identify opportunities, innovative ideas, and untapped potential for improvement. This dimension involves seeking out inspiration, leveraging new technologies or market trends, and finding ways to apply external insights to foster growth and adapt to change.
- Looks beyond company for new ideas and innovative approaches.
- Finds creative ways to get things done with limited resources.
- Seeks innovative ways to change, grow, and improve the company.
- Looks for new ways of doing things.
- Explores new ways of doing things.
- Helps to identify and create value from innovation.
- Searches for opportunities and innovative ways to improve the organization.
- Looks for ways that the company can make profit that are different from how competitors operate.
- Seeks new ideas and adapts to changing environments.
- Seeks innovative ways to change, grow, and improve the department.
- Identifies and encourages innovative approaches to cultivate a forward-thinking environment that fosters continuous improvement and growth.
- Discovers alternative methods for production.
- Looks for opportunities to apply new and evolving technologies.
Solves Problems
Solves Problems focuses on action-oriented and practical innovation. It emphasizes identifying fresh approaches to challenges, implementing best practices, and taking calculated risks to generate effective solutions. This dimension is centered on leveraging innovation to address immediate, specific problems, improve efficiency, and seize opportunities in a tangible and results-driven manner.
- Uses innovation to solve urgent specific problems.
- Identifies fresh approaches to solving problems.
- Improves and makes systems more efficient.
- Solves problems with insight and understanding.
- Takes risks that often yield rewards.
- Identifies the opportunities created by innovations.
- Implements best practices within the department.
- Implements best practice methods within the Company.
- Determines how much risk the company is willing to take in implementing innovations to the products and services.
- Maximizes the alternative solutions to problems.
- Takes risks to advance important ideas.
- Takes risks to reach beyond boundaries.
Challenges Current Processes
Challenges Current Processes emphasizes incremental innovation and improvement by reevaluating existing systems. It involves questioning assumptions, simplifying procedures, and fostering diverse ideas to enhance efficiency, productivity, and value within established frameworks. This dimension encourages "thinking outside the box" and cultivating environments where creative solutions to existing problems can thrive.
- Challenges assumptions about the way things work.
- Challenges current procedures / processes to develop new solutions.
- Challenges existing work processes/products to enhance value.
- Encourages managers to "think outside the box".
- Facilitates networking events or brainstorming sessions where employees can share insights and inspirations.
- Offers solutions to problems when talking with clients.
- Encourages a diverse range of ideas and perspectives to cultivate an environment where innovation thrives.
- Simplifies processes and reduce bureaucratic hurdles that might stifle creativity and innovation.
- Offers innovative solutions to Company problems.
- Challenges current procedures to develop other alternatives.
Analytical
Analytical highlights systematic evaluation and strategic foresight. It involves reviewing processes, analyzing data, assessing competitive environments, and setting measurable goals to optimize innovation outcomes. This dimension reflects a more reflective and structured approach, using insights and metrics to guide decisions and continuously refine systems.
- Analyzes current procedures and identifies opportunities for improvement.
- Analyzes the competitive environment to determine where innovation would have the greatest impact.
- Regularly audits the company's innovation effectiveness.
- Is able to think through complex problems using unique solutions.
- Regularly reviews the strategic risks associated with innovation.
- Establishes measurable innovation goals and regularly track progress to maintain focus and momentum.
- Establishes and monitors key performance indicators (KPIs) for innovation.
- Establishes systems of continuous improvement.
Flexible
Flexible emphasizes adaptability and refinement in the innovation process. It involves tailoring ideas to fit organizational needs, adjusting strategies to align with goals, and optimizing solutions for maximum impact and feasibility. This dimension reflects a focus on evolving and fine-tuning concepts to ensure their successful application, as well as the willingness to adapt to changing conditions and feedback to achieve better outcomes.
- Adapts innovative solutions to fit the organizational context and resources for greater effectiveness.
- Optimizes innovative ideas for maximum success.
- Fine-tunes innovative strategies to maximize resource utilization and achieve desired outcomes.
- Modifies innovative initiatives to capitalize on strengths and mitigate potential risks.
- Optimizes the innovation process by incorporating feedback and lessons learned from previous experiences.
- Adjusts creative approaches to ensure they meet both short-term and long-term business goals.
- Refines and tailors innovative concepts to better align with strategic objectives and market demands.
- Enhances the feasibility and impact of new ideas through careful analysis and iterative improvements.
- Shows flexibility and willingness to adapt to new approaches and changing market conditions.
- Customizes novel ideas to better address customer needs and preferences.
- Transforms raw ideas into actionable plans with a higher likelihood of successful implementation.
Disruptive Innovation
Disruptive Innovation focuses on transformational and groundbreaking change that redefines markets and industries. It advocates for radical ideas that challenge traditional business models, create new opportunities, and push boundaries to develop innovative products, services, or strategies that significantly shift market dynamics. This dimension prioritizes major breakthroughs and embraces unconventional approaches to seize competitive advantages and meet evolving customer needs.
- Champions disruptive innovations to open new market opportunities and redefine industry standards.
- Fosters a culture of disruptive innovation to drive significant market shifts and create unparalleled value for customers.
- Embraces disruptive strategies enabling the organization to create groundbreaking advancements that outpace competitors.
- Prioritizes disruptive innovation to achieve substantial growth and maintain a competitive edge in the marketplace.
- Promotes disruptive innovation empowering managers to challenge the status quo and push the boundaries of what's possible.
- Encourages disruptive innovation allowing managers to identify and seize opportunities that traditional approaches might overlook.
- Advocates for disruptive innovation to ensure the department remains agile and responsive to evolving market demands.
- Utilizes disruptive innovation to help managers transform conventional business models, making products and services more accessible and affordable.
- Leverages disruptive innovation to enhance simplicity and convenience, meeting the changing needs of their customers.
- Encourages a search for radical innovation opportunities to obtain major breakthroughs.
- Uses unconventional approaches to solve problems.
- Plays a pivotal role in fostering an environment where radical innovation can flourish and lead to major breakthroughs.
- Keeps an open mind towards innovative concepts ensuring managers are continuously exploring potential growth avenues.
Supports and Promotes
Supports and Promotes focuses on actively encouraging and championing innovation at all levels. It highlights creating a supportive environment where employees feel empowered to contribute ideas, promoting creativity and risk-taking, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement and curiosity. This dimension reflects a proactive commitment to implementing and advocating for innovative changes as a strategic priority within an organization.
- Ensures that employees feel safe to take risks and experiment without the fear of failure or retribution.
- Encourages innovation from all levels of employees.
- Supports innovation at all levels of the organization.
- Has a strong commitment to innovation.
- Fosters a creative and innovative work environment.
- Promotes innovation as an opportunity to gain competitive advantages in the marketplace.
- Fosters a culture of creativity and curiosity by actively listening to and considering new ideas and opportunities.
- Encourages employees to consider opportunities to innovate processes and products.
- Fosters continuous improvement processes.
- Champions changes within the organization.
- Fosters a creative and dynamic work environment where employees feel empowered to contribute to the company's growth and success.
- Serves as an effective innovative champion.
- Supports changes to the standard way of doing things.
- Values diverse opinions among team members.
- Implements the creative ideas of employees.
Willing and Receptive
Willing and Receptive emphasizes open-mindedness and readiness to embrace innovation. It highlights the ability to entertain new ideas, accept unconventional approaches, and adapt to changing circumstances. This dimension is centered around being approachable and open to innovation as a mindset, ensuring an environment where diverse perspectives and experimental efforts are valued.
- Embraces innovation as a way to improve how we do things.
- Is receptive to fresh ideas and unconventional approaches to stay ahead of a rapidly changing market.
- Is open to innovative ideas.
- Willing to entertain and experiment with new ideas leading to potential breakthrough innovations and competitive advantages.
- Effective in bringing up new ideas.
- Fosters an innovative and dynamic work environment where employees feel valued and heard.
- Embraces an open-minded approach allowing managers to discover and promote innovative solutions that drive business success.
- Facilitates acceptance of new ideas.
- Not afraid to think outside the box when dealing with issues.
- Understands that innovation requires doing things differently.
- Investigates all types of innovations.
- Focuses on bottom-up innovative efforts.
Empowers and Incentivizes
Empowers and Incentivizes highlights enabling and motivating individuals to contribute to innovation. It focuses on creating an environment where employees feel supported and encouraged to experiment, take creative risks, and implement their ideas. This dimension also emphasizes recognizing and rewarding contributions, providing the resources and skills needed for innovation, and fostering a culture where innovation thrives through empowerment and incentives.
- Allows employees to dedicate time and resources for innovation to empower them to think creatively and contribute to the department's growth and success.
- Provides incentives for employees who contribute innovative ideas and successfully implement them.
- Encourages others to experiment and learn from their mistakes without fear of retribution.
- Empowers employees to create innovative solutions to problems.
- Empowers employees with the technical skills essential for driving innovation and achieving strategic goals.
- Recognizes and rewards employees that are innovative.
- Assigns responsibilities to individuals for creating innovative ideas/products.
- Celebrates innovative achievements publicly to motivate others and reinforce the importance of innovation.
- Provides the necessary support and resources to empower employees to develop and implement innovative ideas.
Coordinates and Focuses
- Focuses on creating new value for our products/services.
- Coordinates the activities of the innovation steering committee.
- Pursues innovative approaches to the current policies and procedures.
- Focuses the team on important innovations.
- Focuses innovation on the core products or services offered.
Training and Resources
- Facilitates ongoing technical training and development to enable employees to contribute to innovative solutions.
- Prioritizes technical skill development among employees to foster a culture of innovation and creativity.
- Offers continuous learning opportunities to enhance technical skills and innovative thinking.
- Ensures employees possess the necessary technical competencies to engage in innovation.
- Equips employees with the necessary tools, technologies, and resources to explore new ideas.
- Guarantees that team members are equipped with the technical expertise needed to excel in innovative projects.
- Allocates time and resources specifically for innovation projects, allowing employees to dedicate efforts to exploring new opportunities.
- Ensures the workforce maintains cutting-edge technical competencies to support continuous innovation and growth.
- Adequately funds innovation efforts to ensure their success.
Provides Guidance
- Guides the department's innovation focus.
- Sets company-wide innovation performance targets and goals.
- Helps focus the department on innovation.
- Establishes priorities and allocates resources to support innovation.
- Follows through and implements innovation initiatives.
- Suggests ways to improve processes and systems.
- Offers constructive improvements to existing systems.
Shares Information
- Shares innovative ideas with others.
- Suggests new ideas at meetings.
- Encourages open communication to ensure that all proposals are considered.
- Builds upon the ideas and solutions of others.
- Improves on ideas of others.
- Promotes collaboration across different departments to combine varied perspectives and expertise, which can spark innovative ideas.
- Cultivates a culture of open communication where all ideas, no matter how unconventional, are welcomed and valued.
- Participates in cross-functional innovation teams.