User:Dancepants
From Innovationclass
Maggie's Innovative Organization
Making any organization truly innovative is difficult no matter its size. However, I believe dealing with a smaller group like 25, is much more manageable and realistic. I would like to base my innovative organization off of a PR firm in Boulder that I interned for. They are a relatively small firm and seem to have a special quality that I haven't yet seen in other work places.
I believe that one of the most important elements of making a workspace innovative is the actual office atmosphere. Having an office that is cozy, creative, and untraditional looking helps to add to this ambiance. The firm I interned for uses an array of bright colors in its office including the colors of the walls and even the materials that each employee's workspace is made out of. There are also no cubicles in this office. Each desk is a complete open space, which allows the employees to talk to one another as they are working and shout out comments to one another as needed. This helps to create a team- oriented vibe and allows the employees to bond over their work. The refrigerator in the office is always stocked with a variety of nutritious foods for the employees to choose from and munch on whenever they feel like it. A large kitchen with bar stools is also a big part of the general office space. This helps to provide a fun meeting place for the employees and allows them to work and socialize over food which makes what they're doing seem less like work.
Another important part of making an organization innovative is trusting the employees and giving them the opportunity to get their work done when they are most focused. Not to say that there shouldn't be deadlines in the work place, however, I don't agree with a workplace that stresses out its employees so much that they have no time for breaks and are stressed out to the point that they can't think clearly or produce their best work. This firm has flexible hours and generally lets employees come in when they want to and leave when they want to. Their timeline is up to them as long as they get the work done. They have the time to take lunch breaks and throughout the day if they feel like leaving and going for a walk, for example, they are free to do so.
Producing innovative and interesting work is of course one of the most important goals of any organization. I believe that if a workspace is designed to be innovative that producing innovative work just comes naturally. Remaining calm, relaxed, smart, healthy, focused, and hardworking are characteristics that employees of an innovative organization should have. As long as the basic structure of a space remains creative and different, then everything about the organization should continue to be innovative, as well.
What were you surprised by?
First of all, I thought it was really interesting to look at a list of the top 100 most innovative companies. It was cool to see the different brands that made it on there. But yes, I was very surprised at the rankings!
It is no surprise that Apple and Google are #1 and #2 as they have both sort of changed the face of technology and have made it seem more "attractive," user-friendly, and fun. However, just behind these ranked brands are 3M, Toyota, General Electric, and Nokia (?). I don't understand why these brands are ranked so high. My first reaction was "what is 3M? " I completely understand why Toyota is on the list because of their "moving forward" campaign and the creative ads that go with it, however, I believe that some of the other brands on the list are more innovative than they are. To me, General Electric has not really done anything innovative. When I think of them I think of light bulbs and they haven't done anything to make light bulbs exciting. Also, why Nokia and not Verizon? I think Verizon has done some really good work with their "can you hear me now?" campaign. It's humorous and memorable. Everyone can recognize the guy with the glasses and everyone knows it's "the network." I didn't even see Verizon on the list at all.
Another aspect to note about this list is the fact that some of the hottest, and most innovative brands out there today were much lower down on the list than I think they should be. These include Starbucks, Target, Nike, Whole Foods, and McDonald's. I would expect most of these to be at the top of the list. Each of these brands have created a niche in the market and have found a way to show consumers that what they sell is important. They have created a need. And they are all creative. And just to note, Wal-Mart was ranked higher than Target!? And McDonald's is one of the most recognizable brands in the world and it was ranked last!
