In the March 8 issue of the International Herald Tribune, Pulitzer prize winning writer Thomas L. Friedman of The New York Times has an article titled, "Innovation is the secret of America's sauce." His piece, which focuses on the issue of job outsourcing, includes the following superb sentiment on innovation, written by the author:
America is the greatest engine of innovation that has ever existed, and it can’t be duplicated anytime soon, because it is the product of a multitude of factors: extreme freedom of thought, an emphasis on independent thinking, a steady immigration of new minds, a risk-taking culture with no stigma attached to trying and failing, a noncorrupt bureaucracy, and financial markets and a venture-capital system that are unrivaled at taking new ideas and turning them into global products.
As I think about the meaning of this quote, it moves me to pose a few questions for association leaders to consider when they are reflecting on Friedman's words:
+What do "extreme freedom of thought" and "independent thinking" look like in your association? Are you and other leaders captive to outmoded assumptions about what your organization can and should be? How open are you and other leaders to hearing ideas and perspectives from members and customers located at your association's periphery, not to mention beyond its boundaries?
+What is your orientation toward risk? Do you view risk and failure as largely black and white, or do they also incorporate more subtle shades of gray? What do you do to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit in your organization, and how do you help people learn when the risks they take don't succeed?
+Do you view innovation as primarily a cost or an investment? What would it take for you to develop a meaningful financial model for pursuing innovation in your association? If you developed such a model, what would you say to convince your board/staff to adopt and operate by that model?
+How well does your board understand its role in advocating for and supporting innovation? How much have you done to educate your board--and yourself--about why innovation is so necessary?
Our nation is a hotbed of innovation across sectors, business types and strategies. What could possibly be an appropriate justification for associations choosing to exempt themselves from the responsibility of making innovation a genuine priority? Personally, I cannot think of a single good reason. But what can I think of is a world full of growing opportunity on which associations will be unable to capitalize if they cannot get beyond their current ways of thinking about innovation. Associations today desperately need some of Friedman's special sauce. Where will you find yours?
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