Our conversation turned to a personal question on innovation and transformation; “What does this mean to you?”
I had anticipated the question. I also know that my thoughts are a combination of several different threads of thought. Life reminds me of how critical each view is to the whole. Even if you know the facts of where you want to go, there is more. Many organizations act as if the destination is the only thing that matters! Experience is filled with great destinations that were always just beyond reach. New ways of doing things, technology, tools, or methods, can help, but by themselves are not going to be the answer.
“There are several keys that I group into three areas. First, one needs to know where one is going. Second, one needs to be disciplined about the tools, including technology that one uses. Third, and here is the place where most organizations fall down, it is never just the destination or the tools, it is the people that will get you there that really matter.”
When I think of the changes in my life, I have come to appreciate that there are several keys to a quest. The answer is inclusive. It is plural. It is holistic.
Business models often follow a singular path with key inputs. While we always include commentary and plans for the various aspects, usually there is a primary path that dominates. Technology or new designs are key examples. Transformation and innovation are other examples that come to mind.
Writers across the years and disciplines have quietly explored a different perspective. One talked of sequence; “We follow this sequence in Scripture: The First Adam received life, the Last Adam is a life-giving Spirit. Physical life comes first, then spiritual—a firm base shaped from the earth, a final completion coming out of heaven.” (1 Corinthians 15.45, 46) Others talked of combinations and shared efforts.
My answer started with an acknowledgement that there were multiple keys. It focused on the heart of transformation; the individuals committed to working as a community with purpose.