“What I want people to understand is that innovation is really everybody’s business. It’s not the research team’s, it’s not the product development team’s, it’s not the data analyst’s team, it’s not the management consulting’s team. It’s something that everybody has to identify with, own, and be willing to do.”

Innovation has to come from somewhere, and it is up to everyone to participate in that search. But the source does not have to be a sudden stroke of genius. As managers, rethinking the work your team can do and the daily impact they can have nurtures the type of creative approaches that lead to executing a truly great idea.  

Carla Johnson is a world-renowned storyteller and prolific author whose expertise has inspired and equipped leaders at all levels to embrace change, welcome new ideas, and transform their industry. In the latest episode of the GRIN Gets Real Podcast, Carla discusses how innovation must be everybody’s business, and how managers can help reshape their team’s thought processes to inspire its consistent delivery. 

Remaining innovative in marketing

Breakdown of the GRIN Gets Real Podcast Episode 31

Managers have an opportunity to nurture innovation by reframing and rethinking what their team can do and the impact it can have. 

“What happens as a leader, and often as a team member, is that we have this perception of the one type of innovator and what that looks like. But in reality, it takes a lot of different angles to look at an idea and how to actually implement it. That’s why it’s not just something that an innovation group does.”

By embracing and empowering the unique skills and perspectives of each team member, managers can open the floodgates of creativity and develop an idea flywheel they can use to remain on the cutting edge of their industry. 

In this podcast episode, listeners will learn:

• What innovation actually means, and what role it plays in marketing. 
• What role each team member plays in innovation.
• The framework for thinking big and truly innovating. 
• What needs to be in place to build an innovative team. 
• What “compare” and “contrast” means for marketers. 
• Some changes the future holds for brands and marketing as it relates to innovation.

Quotes from This Episode

“So I define innovation as the ability to consistently come up with new, great, and reliable ideas. A simple sentence, but there are some really important words in there. “

“I have the six archetypes of innovators that I have developed over the years because I have realized that not everybody comes to the table in the same way.”

“I think that another thing that is really important for managers is to understand they need to give feedback. This is a skill that both they and their team need to develop and the more that you can have that feedback, the more people can understand expectations. They understand how everybody works and works differently.”

“It is about that consistency of coming up with the ideas, like a flywheel that is perpetually in motion. It’s the same thing with innovative ideas, and it starts out with observing the world around you because inspiration for great ideas has to come from somewhere.”