Shannon Lucas
May 13, 2025
The term "innovation" often becomes a catch-all that fails to drive real business impact. The most successful organizations define innovation precisely to deliver their corporate vision, and build a culture around this understanding. Here's how to ensure your innovation efforts deliver measurable results.
Key Takeaways
Start with What
Fostering a culture of innovation is leadership’s way to focus Catalysts and ensure meaningful change and growth that is aligned with your vision and strategy. But, before you can foster that culture, you have to crystallize what innovation is.
“Innovation” can mean everything and nothing. Without a precise definition, Catalysts will burn out themselves and everyone around them, working ideas and acting in ways that may work great in one organization but fall flat in yours. So, what should your culture of innovation look like? Different organizations define it differently. It could be:
Step one is to define innovation. What types of innovation are important to you? Are there particular elements of your business you are looking to transform? Are there specific outcomes or goals that should be identified related to innovation or transformation?
Last November, we sat down with Ralph Loura, former CIO at HPE and Clorox and Co-founder of Sustainable IT.org, to discuss insights from his personal Catalyst journey. Ralph provided great examples of how to foster a culture of innovation, from both sides of the leadership seat.
In an early role at Bell Labs, Ralph was inspired by a mentor who knew that Ralph’s Catalyst instincts were valuable, but would burn out Ralph and everyone around him unless he had guidance on what was valuable to the organization.
https://podcast.catalystconstellations.com/ralph-loura-co-founder-of-sustainable-itorg-and-former-cio-catalytic-transformation-is-99-minds/Reimagining strategic planning for 2025 research report: https://mc.catalystconstellations.com/cltlatestresearch Transformation Acceleration Program Overview: https://mailchi.mp/925248c20bf9/catalystprogram Contact us to discuss how we can help you achieve your boldest strategic initiatives.
Key Takeaways
- Innovation means something different in every organization; clarify what it means in yours to foster a culture that delivers results instead of frustration.
- When you clearly define innovation, you can enable, reward and measure team activities that drive your vision of success.
Start with What
Fostering a culture of innovation is leadership’s way to focus Catalysts and ensure meaningful change and growth that is aligned with your vision and strategy. But, before you can foster that culture, you have to crystallize what innovation is.
“Innovation” can mean everything and nothing. Without a precise definition, Catalysts will burn out themselves and everyone around them, working ideas and acting in ways that may work great in one organization but fall flat in yours. So, what should your culture of innovation look like? Different organizations define it differently. It could be:
- An openness to new ideas and ways of working,
- Bringing new market opportunities to leadership, or
- Investing a set amount of time exploring future-looking opportunities
Step one is to define innovation. What types of innovation are important to you? Are there particular elements of your business you are looking to transform? Are there specific outcomes or goals that should be identified related to innovation or transformation?
Last November, we sat down with Ralph Loura, former CIO at HPE and Clorox and Co-founder of Sustainable IT.org, to discuss insights from his personal Catalyst journey. Ralph provided great examples of how to foster a culture of innovation, from both sides of the leadership seat.
In an early role at Bell Labs, Ralph was inspired by a mentor who knew that Ralph’s Catalyst instincts were valuable, but would burn out Ralph and everyone around him unless he had guidance on what was valuable to the organization.
https://podcast.catalystconstellations.com/ralph-loura-co-founder-of-sustainable-itorg-and-former-cio-catalytic-transformation-is-99-minds/
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