*By Fabricio Oliveira
It is common, when we talk about innovation, that disruptive technologies come to mind, large corporations that invest millions in creation and even startups that were born to solve problems that we often did not even know we had. This vision, which has a basis in reality, can give the impression that technology companies are always looking for innovation, which is not always true.
Innovation goes beyond products and services. go through mindset of the company and needs a propitious environment to take revenge and express itself. Innovating is also rethinking processes and creating new ways to do more and better. From the point of view of technology companies, innovation needs to go beyond final products, delivery to the customer, it needs to be embedded in the organizational culture.
This requires trust in people and their ability to produce. There is no creativity that resists excessive command/control processes. Promoting interaction between areas and giving people the autonomy to create and take new ideas to leadership demands a more horizontal and humanized management, capable of creating an environment of security, trust and creation. That is, a true innovation ecosystem, which allows collective intelligence to emerge.
At the same time, employees develop as individuals and as professionals. Interpersonal relationships deepen and the company gains more visibility on the skills and competences of its teams and individuals. A cycle of dialogue and transparency at the service of innovation is created.
Organizations from any segment can benefit from this through initiatives that are often simple. Recently, at Vockan, we launched a “contest” for employees to present benefit projects they would like to have – in addition, of course, to the usual benefits. 17 projects were submitted, three of which were chosen by a committee to be submitted to a vote by all employees. Employees chose an initiative that implements continuous training in the company through an online course platform that is already available on the market.
More interesting than the final result – which is revealing about what people really want – was seeing the teams articulating, talking, seeking more information to structure their proposals and put together projects that would be convincing not for the board, but for their colleagues. There's no reinventing the wheel, you see? But there is an environment conducive to the emergence of new ideas, new opportunities and the creation of bonds that contribute to improving the organizational climate and increasing productivity.
For professor Mario Sergio Cortella, where there is no creation, innovation and construction, there is only repetition. Companies that emphasize the importance of innovation-fostering ecosystems may be missing the chance to look at themselves as incubators of creativity. And they may be missing the opportunity not only to do more business, but also to be better companies for their employees, for the market and for society.
*Fabrício Oliveira is CEO of Vockan. With more than 15 years of career at QAD, the executive was responsible for the implementation of several ERP projects, contributing to the restructuring of the services area and the use of global usability tools. As Head of Operations, he led the Sales, Support and R&D teams in Brazil.
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
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