I just read a good blog post by Jeffrey Phillips on Why Innovation Needs Its Own Language.
In particular, I like this overview of challenges and questions related to the language of innovation:
“Any organization that hopes to innovate consistently and well has the following challenges with language and context that it must address in order to work more successfully:
• Lack of shared meaning
• Lack of systemic context
• No clear linkage to strategy or goals
• Ideas no longer hold their original meanings or the culture rejects their meaning
• Language limits or narrows discussion or thinking rather than encouraging and broadening it
• Words become filler or placeholders, not meant to encourage thinking or action
What is your innovation language? Do the words you use have shared meaning? Do they work within a common context?”
I have written extensively on the topics of language, definition and communication in the context of innovation on 15inno.com. The short recap is that I do not believe in one universal definition of innovation. I believe companies need to develop their own definition and language around innovation in a way that fits their situation and context. They need to do so in order to get their employees as well as their external innovation partners on the same page.
