Innovation Insights 

Leaders develop a concise Innovation Checklist that they can use to assess and improve innovation practices within their teams or organizations. 

• The checklist could include any of the following:

•  1-3 Key Elements of a Successful Innovation Culture

• 1-3 Critical Questions to Ask When Evaluating New Ideas

• 1-3 Steps to Encourage Creativity and Experimentation

• 1-3  Reminders for Involving Diverse Perspectives

• Criteria for Prioritizing and Implementing Innovative Solutions

Leaders create a set of Innovation Guiding Principles that serve as a foundation for decision-making and actions related to innovation. 

The guiding principles could include any of the following:

• Reflect the organization's values and mission

• Promote a culture of Creativity, Collaboration, and Risk-Taking

• Encourage Continuous Learning and Improvement

Leaders create an Innovation Idea Scorecard that helps them evaluate and prioritize new ideas based on key criteria. 

The scorecard should include: 

• Strategic alignment with organizational goals 

• Potential impact on customers or stakeholders 

• Feasibility of implementation (time, resources, etc.)

• Uniqueness or differentiation from existing solutions 

• Scalability and long-term value

Leaders can use this scorecard to objectively assess new ideas and make data-driven decisions about which ones to pursue.

Leaders develop a concise Innovation Communication Plan to effectively share innovation initiatives, successes, and lessons learned with their teams and the wider organization. The plan should include: 

•  Key messages and talking points about innovation

• Target audiences (team members, stakeholders, leadership, etc.)

• Communication channels (team meetings, email updates, presentations, etc.) 

•  Frequency and timing of communication 

• Metrics for measuring the effectiveness of communication

By creating an Innovation Communication Plan, leaders can ensure that innovation remains a top-of-mind priority and that everyone is informed and engaged in the process.

Leaders conduct a DEI Innovation Audit to assess how well their current innovation practices and initiatives support and promote diversity, equity, and inclusion

The audit should include: 

• Reviewing the diversity of teams involved in innovation projects 

• Assessing the inclusivity of innovation processes and decision-making 

• Evaluating the accessibility and fairness of opportunities for all team members to contribute ideas 

• Examining the potential impact of innovations on diverse customer segments and communities

• Identifying areas for improvement and creating an action plan to address gaps

By conducting a DEI Innovation Audit, leaders can ensure that their innovation efforts are inclusive, equitable, and leverage the power of diverse perspectives.

Leaders create a series of DEI Innovation Stories that highlight successful examples of how diversity, equity, and inclusion have driven innovation within their organization or industry. These stories should: 

• Feature diverse individuals or teams who have led innovative projects or initiatives 

• Describe the unique perspectives, skills, and experiences that contributed to the success of the innovation  

• Explain how the innovation benefited from diverse viewpoints and inclusive collaboration 

• Share lessons learned and best practices for fostering DEI in innovation 

• Be shared widely within the organization through various communication channels

By showcasing DEI Innovation Stories, leaders can inspire and motivate others to embrace diversity and inclusion as key drivers of innovation.