The Innov'Acteurs association has published a white paper on collaborative innovation on the horizon of the next decade. The aim of this publication? To take stock of the latest trends incollaborative innovation and the essential conditions for its success and longevity. Muriel Garcia, President of Innov'Acteurs, answers our 5 questions.
1/ This white paper was published during a crisis that reveals the strength of the collective. Everywhere, we see the emergence ofcollaborative innovation initiatives. Do you think that these initiatives will continue in thefuture?
Yes, I am very confident and for several reasons. First of all,collaborative innovation is a hundred-year-old lady in great shape. Over the years, the approach has grown in usage, methods and agility. Moreover, theuse of digital technology has boosted its development in recent years. In particular by popularising collaborative platforms, whose role in terms of mutual aid and solidarity, collective efficiency and maintaining social links is now apparent in a confined situation.
Accessible, simple, efficient and adapted to the challenges of active collaboration within and outside organisations,collaborative innovation still has a bright future ahead of it, provided that a few precautions are taken:
- Nocollaborative innovation without associated recognition action.
- You cannot solicit the production of ideas without previously defined rules of the game that are respected in the implementation. I am referring here to the " endless and unending", i.e. the permanent and infinite solicitation, with no return on the follow-up given. I am referring here to "endless and permanent solicitation", i.e. permanent and infinite solicitation, with no return on the follow-up given, and which can go as far as a form of plundering of ideas with abusive appropriation of authorship, correlated with an absence of recognition.
On the positive side, we see a real need for societal innovation. A need for active contribution in full autonomy and responsibility.
2/ Where do commitment, well-being and economic performance fit into all this? And how do you explain that there is still resistance tointrapreneurship in companies?
Several concepts are mentioned here:
- Commitment, i.e. the ability to surpass oneself, to go beyond what is required because one believes in it and is motivated. But also because there is no question of the usefulness or the time spent. The phenomenon of spontaneous solidarity that we are currently observing is, from this point of view, very revealing and encouraging.
- Well-being is a vast subject which evokes both the material conditions and the quality of interpersonal relations within teams, between the person being managed and the manager. Another prerequisite, and not the least important one: the system for recognising and valuing skills - acquired and developed over time, and with the obligation of authenticity. Authenticity refers to the values of the organisation, values that are alive, embodied and shared!
- Economic performance: the notion of performance remains complex to define. For my part, I speak of socio-economic performance, based on the postulate that social performance leads to economic performance. In other words, the economic performance injunction of the 'more with less' type is not necessarily the most motivating... On the contrary, it is the one that federates the teams, encourages initiative towards the target to be reached, and reinforces pride in belonging!
Beyond individual predispositions, the culture of intrapreneurship cannot be decreed. It is orchestrated by creating the right conditions. This refers to the right to dare, the right to make mistakes and the right to try again! The culture and history of the organisation also play a role, as does the management style. And here again, this is a controversial subject, as managerial practices still raise questions!
In fact, it is a whole innovation ecosystem, and the practices within this ecosystem, that give rise to or killintrapreneurship!
3/ This white paper praises benevolence, an essential soft skill forcollaborative innovation. Do you think that benevolence can be imposed?
No, benevolence cannot be imposed. I am naive enough to believe in its natural expression, an expression that is thwarted in a hostile universe. The period we are living through firmly places the human being at the heart of the action, the gift and generosity for the common good. It is up to us to make this new era last. The soft skills were announced as the useful skills for 2030. They are now making their presence felt in our society faced with COVID19. We only need to look at the fine participatory initiatives currently underway, both within and outside our organisations, to have confidence in the future!
4/ Among the trends atcollaborative innovation : gamification to engage, do you believe in it?
I believe in it because playfulness and games create enthusiasm and collective intelligence. They encourage mental fluidity, the pleasure of progressing and winning together. It is one of the pedagogical means that encourage learning and knowledge!
5/ What advice would you give to those who want to implement a logic ofcollaborative innovation ?
Rather than a logic, I prefer an approach conducted in project mode with key players, tools, method, usefulness (meaning given) and a recognition system in line with the habits and customs of the organisation concerned.
Innov'acteurs has a magic tool called thecollaborative innovation© reference system. We are a great community of practitioners, sharing practices and valuing successes. We will be happy to share our experiences and trends with you atcollaborative innovation.
