The Intersection

I’ve been thinking a lot about innovation.  What is it?  How does it happen?  And how do you implement a culture of innovation in your organization?  This thinking lead me to read the book The Medici Effect by Frans Johansson.  And what an amazing read it was!  I really enjoyed it and it really got me to think about what role innovation has in government.  Yes, I know.  Government isn’t really known for being an institution of innovation.  But perhaps it needs to be.

Photograph by M4r00n3d

I often talk about the role of people when it comes to implementing Government 2.0.  People are the key to success. Some will be change catalysts and some will try to stop change from happening.  Change is a natural part of life and it is hard!  It is also vital to our future success.  People will be the ones who determine how much change is accepted within an organization or not.  People are the ones who make things happen or not.

If we accept the fact that a change in how government does business is necessary to our survival, than we need an environment that is safe for new ideas to be explored.  A place where we can determine what will and won’t work within our respective organizations.  A place to innovate!  Or better yet, a place to safely take the leap and join the Intersection – the place where you take your individual missions, business goals, current tool sets and more and mash them up with new things.  And by mashing all of these things together you have the opportunity to start innovating.  This is where we will start finding new creative solutions to problems.

This is just the first step in implementing a change in how government does business.  It is not a fast or easy road, but one we cannot afford to ignore or not pursue.  How are you a change agent within your organization?  How are you helping to create an environment that stimulates innovation?

Update: Blog response from Andrew P. Wilson on August 3, 2010

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