Innovation is an attitude

We’re good at coming up with brilliant ideas in Europe, but terrible at bringing them to market, writes Ben Verwaayen, the chief executive of BT.
Why is this? One of the questions we ask ourselves constantly at BT is: how do we turn innovation into value? How do we turn great ideas into great services?

I asked a room full of recent graduates: what is the greatest obstacle to getting your ideas heard? And one 25-year old at the back of the room put up his hand and said “you”.

“You don’t understand what is going on in my head and you don’t understand what I’m saying when I try to tell you.”

Innovation is an attitude. As a CEO you need to allow people, young and old, room to speak their ideas. The status quo stifles innovation.

There is no lack of people with ideas, but there is a lack of access to the people who have the resources to put them into action.

--Ben Verwaayen
Chief Executive, BT Group
Read a session summary on innovation

Comments

[Pinaki]

yes, The importance of ATTITUDE can not be underestimated. So on attitude just a little calculation...

IF A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z equals 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26

then, H+A+R+D+W+O+R+K= 8+1+18+4+23+15+18+11 = 98% only

K+N+O+W+L+E+D+G+E = 11+14+15+23+12+5+4+7+5 = 96% only

L+U+C+K = 12+21+3+11= 47% (don't most of us think this is most important??) Then what makes 100% Is it Money? ........... Leadership? .......... Health?.......... NO !!! Every problem has a solution, only if we perhaps change our attitude.

To get to the top, to that 100% what we really need to go further... a bit more.... A+T+T+I+T+U+D+E = 1+20+20+9+20+21+4+5 = 100 % So there we discovered it: It is OUR Attitude towards Life and Work that makes OUR Life 100%

[Devang]

Far too obvious, and far too true. It is because of people like Kempe of the WSJ who simply do not understand the 'long tail' of the internet, that innovation stops at big companies. Leading to resources not going to where they should. Regardless to say, stopping innovation isn't that hard.

This is a management issue, top-down reform at more than one place is needed. I could advocate a model like one at GE or Google, but that's an excersice in futility for me.

[Faiza Zia Khan]

I agree with Ben Verwaayen's idea, "There is no lack of people with ideas, but there is a lack of access to the people who have the resources to put them into action." The broader question is will the resourceful people buy these ideas? Innovation is necessary for survival in the fast paced corporate market, however its the innovateurs on whom corporations take a chance. Innovative ideas are a privilege. Innovateurs are the privileged. But accolades to those who give a chance to these ideas on playing a wild card . Who knows whether this novel idea will fly or die!

[Faiza Zia Khan]

I agree with Ben Verwaayen's idea, "There is no lack of people with ideas, but there is a lack of access to the people who have the resources to put them into action." The broader question is will the resourceful people buy these ideas? Innovation is necessary for survival in the fast paced corporate market, however its the innovateurs on whom corporations take a chance. Innovative ideas are a privilege. Innovateurs are the privileged. But accolades to those who give a chance to these ideas on playing a wild card . Who knows whether this novel idea will fly or die!