Innovationeering in 2015: eight and a half forecasts

The future focus of innovation

1. Breakthrough innovation – radically different ways of doing things – will become increasingly sought after.

2. Open Innovation – scouting, identification and support of potential innovations – will become increasingly widespread.

3. The drive for innovation will accelerate in systems, such as the Internet of Things, especially in services, and including public services.

4. And radical thinking will take place around the very pillars of our culture -capitalism and democracy.

The management of innovation

5. Innovation and its management will become increasingly aligned with strategies, and increasingly important.

6. Leaders will increasingly articulate the needs and opportunities for innovation in their particular field; and will induce entrepreneurial talent to work with or for them.

7. Innovation team-building and team working will increasingly become the focus of attention; and teams will become more fluid in their composition (1).

8. Coaching and mentoring will transfer from sport and the arts to business, enterprise, education and healthcare; and will become increasingly expert.

And one from left field

9. Organisations will increasingly look to behavioural economics and psychology for new ways in which to bring about change.

(1) For example, creative groups are led by ‘visionaries’ rather than by ‘co-ordinators’. For more, see ‘Releasing Creativity – how leaders develop creative potential in their teams’ John Whatmore, Kogan Page, 1999, available on Amazon.

John Whatmore December 2014
The Centre for Leadership in Creativity
London
http://johnwhatmore.com