Successful and sustainable Innovation cannot be achieved without proper training and coaching from the leaders of an organization. Employees should be given the basic tools in the form of knowledge in order to create and improve their skill set. Any business can be optimized with the right Innovation coach to motivate and mediate employees. The ideal coach possesses a superior skill set and experience, a deep understanding of the innovation program’s goals, and they must be self-disciplined and a great communicator in order to reach all members of an organization in both group and one-on-one settings. Complementing and supporting the CEO or Chief Innovation Officer. When all the criteria are met, the ideal innovation coach develops employees into future leaders – and that is what sustains Innovation.

The most important job of the innovation coach is to create a holistic innovative environment, of “total” innovation and a sense of curiosity and open-mindedness among employees. It is their duty to motivate and to create an atmosphere of camaraderie where ideas are welcome. By giving employees just the right amount of support and motivation, an innovation coach can push the team towards their maximum performance.

Think about the amount of time throughout the workday that employees spend on their day to day duties versus how much time they spend on brainstorming new concepts and perspectives. When a team member does think of a new idea, do they follow through, or is it lost in the shuffle? That is why choosing the ideal coach is so important as part of the new product development process. An Innovation coach can implement structured repeatable processes that a team needs to sustain innovation, as well as provide feedback and support to all members of the team. In order to accomplish that, here are some coaching tips.

Share the joy. As well as the frustrations – communicate what is working and not working with your team.

Newbies count. Ensure that newcomers to the team, as well as new managers, are included in all training/coaching programs. Keep everyone on the same page.

The one-on-one touch. Individual coaching provides the privacy and attention that breeds success. Generally, discussions about areas of improvement are much better received when done privately and away from the ears of co-workers. These private coaching sessions can be invaluable in developing future team leaders.

Choosing the right leader is critical for your organization, and will result in a pattern of sustainable Innovation. For more Tips, see Robert’s Rules of Innovation^TM by Robert F. Brands with Martin J. Kleinman, published in March 2010 by Wiley.

It is not without reason that Whirlpool Corporation established that the “How To” training is the most important need for corporate Innovation to succeed, from top to bottom. At Whirlpool, innovative thinking is considered the responsibility of each of its 80,000 employees. They continue to be the primary source for new ideas that meet consumer needs. It’s such an important part of their culture that they have a corporate initiative in place to sustain the commitment company-wide.

To reinforce and enhance a creative company culture and mindset, effective training and coaching must not be forgotten. Any company that wants to stay in business needs a sustainable Innovation program. Here are some Training and Coaching tips to help your product development process:

• Share the Joy: As well as the frustrations – communicate what is working and not working.
• Pick the Right Coaches: Not everyone has the psychological makeup to be the coach.  Knowledge is key, obviously.  But the coach needs to be able to motivate, mediate, and create camaraderie and a sense of selflessness.
• The One-On-One Touch: Individual coaching provides the privacy and attention that breeds success.  I’ve found that discussions regarding areas for improvement are received and acted upon much better in a private session, away from peers listening in.  This can be especially critical with new employees and/or team members.
• Basics First: Make certain project management basics are taught, applied and re-taught.

For more Tips, see Robert’s Rules of Innovation™ by Robert F. Brands with Martin J. Kleinman published in March, 2010 by Wiley.

But introduce a business innovation initiative, and those involved are expected to just know how things are done. They’re supposed to possess some innate awareness of the concepts, the best practices, the goals, milestones and targeted end-game.

It doesn’t work that way.

Innovation is a learned concept. Training and coaching is the forgotten imperative in the process of innovation. For best practices in the pursuit of innovation have to be shared to be learned – and mastered.

From the Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) to the innovation team to rank-and-file employees who will implement, follow through or carry forth on the fruits of innovation, people don’t just know. They’re taught.

Organizations whose teams are not trained and coached in its unique approach to the imperatives of innovation are destined to amass a litany of failed projects.

For example, a major multinational launched a new Innovation initiative with the hopes of turn-around renewed profitability and growth. After much initial excitement and visibility, expected results did not materialize – and in the turn-around world, false starts are more costly for an organization than starts or restarts.

What happened? The team involved basic project management training. After a course of such training and coaching, associates had gained a common language and understanding. Progress was realized, and the company today remains on a growth path.

Training and coaching is vital to transmitting the organization’s unique approach to innovation – and ensuring people adhere to its practices. Proper hiring, training and coaching is the way to create, reinforce and enhance company culture and mindset. At its root, training and coaching introduces people to the organization’s vision, mission, strategy and objectives, and points everyone’s compass toward True North.

Training and coaching should cover the lot – from the unique way ideation is treated, to the unique way ideas are cataloged and approached; teams are inspired, formed and managed; risk is assessed; new product development is explored; ownership is encouraged; value is created; accountability is attached; metrics are observed and measured; net results are rewarded; and yes, how teams are trained and coached.

Training and coaching is developed and delivered on a continuum. No sooner are existing policies and best practices discussed, then new procedures are introduced to further the organization’s pursuit of innovation.

Continuity is the key. Training helps your team constantly improve its skill set, through new techniques in ideation, process experience and intra-organizational communication of best practices. Ongoing reinforcement helps employees understand their place and aspire to greatness on the New Product Development team (whether that “product” is a product, a service or an internal practice).

This goes beyond the team. Trainers and coaches need continuous training and coaching, as well. Even the CIO at times requires training and coaching on evolving corporate innovation practices.

Alas, training and coaching often is lost or last as companies often believe they have little time and money to fund these efforts. Best of breed companies have earmarked a dedicated budget to training and coaching.

Why? Because they realize the downside of not training – and retraining – their people in the process of innovation is to be mired in mediocrity.