Innovating Business with Kick Collaboration

  The company is a company which developed a skilled and agile in reading opportunities. Only by reading and seize opportunities, the company will easily innovate. Prof. Mohan Sawhney, Professor of New Wave Marketing from the Kellogg School of Management, called the enterprise-oriented opportunities by opportunity-focused organization. 

In today's Internet era, an era that presents connectivity, the company should work on collaborative innovation. By utilizing these connectivity - connectivity between players, between team members, antarsumber power - companies together gave birth to innovation. In this context, it is necessary to build what is called the Innovation Hub. 

However, Mohan notes Innovation Hubs are built must still follow the principle Fewer, Bigger, Bolder is none other than focus on the key projects that support the sustainable growth of the company. In principle, the company continues to think big by starting from the little things that focus. 

The main projects in the Innovation Hub should be strictly selected. There are several criteria that can be used. First, the innovation project has the potential to be a game changer or a change agent for the company. Second, collaboration in the project should be held beyond the line of business and geography. Third, have the perspective and culture are not uncommon. Fourth, have a spirit of urgency. All this was conducted under the leadership of a CEO or business leader visionary. 

In addition, for the Innovation Hub is really focused and qualified, the company must collect the best resources - especially human resources in the main loop of the innovation. Companies must be able to create connectors for the best people, either scattered in various parts of the world, or are included in the corporate hierarchy. The existence of this connector is intended as a medium for collaboration to share innovative ideas. 

There are many ways to build the innovation antaragen connectivity. One of them, the company's internal social network. In an interview piece in Kelogg School, Boeing CEO Jim McNerney utilizing social networking technologies to bring together tens of thousands of engineers who are in different countries. Boeing is named Insite Solutions. Insite is a similar company intranet that serves as Facebook or LinkedIn to share ideas and discussions antaranggotanya. 

Mohan said, internal social networks can be built in a more structured, more specialized, and are always driven by defined goals, especially when going to discuss the brand, ideas, innovation, and markets. Microsoft, for example, managed to build a special community called Digital Leads. This community contains the digital and social media experts are gathered together, both physically and virtually to determine social media marketing for the company. 

Another with Kraft. Kraft manages collaborative network of cross-category called Global Category Teams (GCT). GCT is a medium for Kraft in business development biscuits, sweets, and so on. Teams in this network was selected to manage multiple projects that require development through the role of experts in the spirit Fewer, Bigger, Bolder. 

Principles of Collaboration 
In building the innovation collaboration, Mohan offers some principles that can be used as a handle. 

The first principle, clarity (clarity). In these collaboration networks, each person has a role and responsibilities are clear. 

The second principle, flexible (flexibility). For collaboration involving people globally, the process must be run flexibly. Importantly, how the connectivity between individuals can be used optimally to share ideas and innovative solutions. Moreover, the present era allows people to work from anywhere and anytime. This flexibility is important given the time zone differences experienced by members of the innovation group in various countries. 

The third principle, diversity (diversity). This collaboration should appreciate diversity. In fact, the diversity can be used as a competitive advantage (competitive advantage) for the company. Differences in ideas, culture, gender, state, and so it could enrich the company to find qualified innovation. 

The fourth principle, the family (family). This collaborative team should be able to establish itself as a community of like a family. There should be a sense of kinship between team members. Each member of the complement and depend each other for the betterment of the family. Indeed, the duties and responsibilities of each member should be clear. However, the brand must be open to helping and advising. Mohan asserted in this collaboration network no winners or losers said. Winning or losing is winning losing a family. 

The fifth principle, compensation (compensation). Whatever the job, each member of the team deserve a fair compensation in accordance with the work and accomplishments. It is becoming commonplace step in recognition of their hard work. 

The sixth principle, answer the resistance (resistance). No doubt, the collaboration is run by a team of people from different countries and diverse backgrounds, often hampered by the resistance of each member. Members are often comfortable working in a group or silonya respectively. 

They would rather choose to be in a comfort zone rather than out of the zone proficiency level to work with others of different backgrounds. In this case, business leaders must be able to answer the question of resistance. Leaders should be able to scrape resistance by providing tasks that are collaborative, constantly monitor the results, and provide motivation. With that out of this resistance, the collaborative team can work effectively and solid. Particularly in the birth of new innovations for the company. (Sigit Kurniawan, Marketeers) 

Prof. Mohan Sawhney come back to Indonesia and give a seminar in Jakarta on 16 October. Teachers New Wave Marketing from the Kellogg School of Management is giving a seminar entitled "Fewer, Bigger, Bolder". This theme carried by Sawhney latest book he wrote with Sanjay Khosla titled "Fewer, Bigger, Bolder: From Mindless Expansion to Focused Growth", published by Penguin Group in 2014. More info:

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