Recently, I came across a very interesting infographic by innovator, business analyst, and author, Brian Solis. It caught my eye because of the title: The Pillars of Innovation. Solis lists 12 pillars necessary to “create a culture of persistent innovation and disruption”. Each one makes up part of a circle, perfectly representing the endless cycle of innovation. If one pillar is missing, the circle breaks causing creative thought and invention to come to a grinding halt.
Most innovators likely knew about these 12 elements (at least on a subconscious level) before Solis displayed them in this appealing visual graphic. But, seeing each step laid out in a colorful, eye-catching way allows you to see the whole picture. It’s like a view of the innovation process from 10,000 feet – a bird’s eye view.
According to Webster’s Online Dictionary, one definition of pillar is “a person or thing regarded as reliably providing essential support for something”. In the literal sense, pillars hold up an architectural structure. Removing one load-bearing pillar greatly compromises the integrity of the structure and could even cause the entire edifice to come tumbling down.
Each of the pillars in the infographic provides essential support to the innovation process as a whole. Remove any one of these and the process begins to break down. Remove two or more and you’ve got a broken system altogether. Solis explains how mediocrity suffocates innovation and how each of the pillars works together to kill mediocrity, creating an environment where innovation can thrive.
Creating a culture that nurtures creative thought, honest dialogue, mentoring, and persistent innovation is critical to success. I see all of these and more in the Emergent culture. As a team, we challenge, encourage, and inspire one another each day. These interactions keep us connected and energized in our mission to innovate groundbreaking solutions to real-world problems. What do you want to build today?