The Number 1 Reason Teams Fail at Innovation

Reasons Behind Innovation Failure

Although failure is sometimes necessary for innovation, failure is an experience that companies and organizations can avoid by understanding the reasons behind it. Poor ideas and poor execution can cause an innovation project failure. But what causes teams to make these mistakes in the first place? And how can companies best avoid these mistakes? By discouraging groupthink and encouraging strong problem comprehension, companies and organizations can experience successful innovation.

Effect of Groupthink

The first threat to a team’s flexibility and authenticity is groupthink. Groupthink occurs when a member of a team latches on to an idea that is then replicated and repeated by other members and accepted as the solution without allowing room for variation. Groupthink often thrives in an organization with an environment that rallies around one person. Because the group follows one person, it usually follows one idea and solution. This herd mentality stunts the creativity and growth needed for innovation to happen. Companies and organizations can avoid this dilemma by encouraging individual thinking and participation in the innovation process. Giving every team member a voice allows for valuable thoughts, ideas, and feedback to generate better solutions.

Importance of Team Individualism

The individual members who make up a team play an integral part in the innovation process. It is vital to put thought into the selection process of team members. Having a healthy mix of people with different backgrounds, different personality traits, and differing views allows for helpful contrasting perspectives. An eclectic group is less likely to fall into groupthink because individualism is applauded.

While teams should be diverse and full of different thoughts and ideas, the common goal of the project needs to remain paramount. Differences should not divide the group, but act as an aid in innovative thinking. Individuals should be able to speak up within the group freely and comfortably. A group environment that encourages various thoughts, ideas, and opinions can offer better insight into solving problems and making decisions.

Understanding the Problem

The second hindrance to innovation in a team setting is simple but often overlooked. It is an avoidable failure that many teams make in the innovative process. Not taking the time to deeply examine problems can be detrimental to innovation. This oversight can happen when an organization is rushing to fix a problem. Not allotting enough time and resources to deeply understand all facets of a problem can prove catastrophic. As Albert Einstein’s popular method of problem-solving suggests, the majority of time in the innovation process should be spent thinking and studying the problem. Within this approach, the remaining sliver of available time should be enough to solve the problem. A company should know the ins and outs of the problem so well that a comparatively small amount of time is all that is needed to solve the problem.  

Conclusion

There are many reasons teams can fail at innovation projects. Groupthink and a lack of thorough problem comprehension are top contenders for innovation failure. Avoiding an environment that fosters groupthink is imperative to innovation growth. Additionally, the different perspectives of a well-rounded team will accelerate sound decision making while an in-depth understanding of a problem will encourage better solutions. Organizations encouraging collaboration, communication, and careful consideration of problems can turn potential innovation failure into success.