Ahh, the Motor City. Wait, why are we here?
The Client
The CIO of a Fortune 500 company was eager to think about the role innovation plays for his team. The company was undergoing some major internal shifts to stay competitive, which brought new challenges to a legacy brand.
Some Background
We looked at the cultural elements of an innovative ecosystem:
Soliciting and valuing multiple perspectives
Ability to take risks and make fast decisions
Transparent communication and knowledge-sharing
Celebrating and learning from both success and failure
These give teams the language with which to talk about tackling problems and opportunities effectively. But how do they get put into practice? To what end? What does innovation mean for their team? How does their team add value to the organization and power the broader strategy?
What We Found in Detroit
We went to Detroit to explore answers to these questions because we think it is an interesting analogue for the company -- a city that could help answer the question, “what can our team mean to innovation and the future of the company?”
For more on why we chose Detroit, check out our previous post on the city that's reinventing itself.
For more on the discussions and learning during this specific trip with this specific client, keep reading.
Innovation = Ideas + Execution. That’s an equation applicable to all functions. Don't over-complicate things by making innovation seem unattainable.
Creating space for risk. In the event of failure, we can focus on the learning.
Understand the broader company's expectations of you and your team and the contribution you make throughout the entire company. Think differently about your role.
Interested in learning more about an immersive experience for your company? Contact Natalie.