87. From ideas to action: Managing creativity alongside daily operations

The Unicorny Marketing Show

In this continuation of the discussion with Professor Ben Bensaou from INSEAD Business School, Dom explores how organisations can build a robust framework for continuous improvement and creativity.

Bensaou introduces the concept of the "innovating engine," explaining how companies can create a structured environment that encourages all employees to contribute new ideas while balancing these efforts with the demands of day-to-day operations.

• Understand how to set up a structured approach to generating and implementing new ideas.
• Learn about the crucial role middle managers play in nurturing a culture of creativity.
• Discover examples from large companies like Bayer and BASF on how they effectively manage new ideas.

This discussion provides practical advice for those looking to create a more dynamic and forward-thinking environment in their organisation.

About Ben M. Bensaou

Ben M. Bensaou is Professor of Technology Management and Professor of Asian Business and Comparative Management at INSEAD, Fontainebleau, France. He served as the INSEAD Dean of Executive Education from 2018 to 2020. He was a Visiting Associate Professor at the Harvard Business School for 1998-1999, a Senior Fellow at the Wharton School of Management for 2007-2008 and a Visiting Scholar at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley for 2013-2015. He was also a Visiting Professor at Kobe University for 2021-2022.

Bensaou is a leading expert on Innovation and how to build, maintain, and enhance a company’s collective innovating capabilities. He was nominated for the 2023 Thinkers50 Innovation Award and his book Built to Innovate: Essential Practices to Wire Innovation into Your Company’s DNA (2021, McGraw-Hill) was selected as one of the Thinkers50 Top 10 Management Books for 2022. Bensaou explains in detail his systematic approach. It defines specific innovative practices and roles for employees at each level of the organization, offers tools and a process methodology for innovating, and presents a host of vivid case studies that illustrate the dramatic benefits possible.

Links

Full show notes: Unicorny.co.uk

LinkedIn: Ben M. Bensaou | Dom Hawes

Website: benbensaou.com

Sponsor: Selbey Anderson

Other items referenced in this episode:

Built to Innovate by Ben M. Bensaou with Karl Weber

Basotect,

BASF

Fostering Employee Innovation at a 150-Year-Old Company by Monika Lessl, Henning Trill, and Julian Birkinshaw, Harvard Business Review

Chapter summaries

Introduction to part 2

Dom Hawes briefly recaps the first part and shifts focus to applying the concepts of continuous improvement within organisations, moving from idea generation to structured processes.

The innovating engine approach

Ben Bensaou introduces the "innovating engine," a framework that allows organisations to foster creativity while maintaining daily operations. He discusses how this approach can be established and sustained across different organisational levels.

Maintaining balance between creativity and daily tasks

Bensaou explains the need for a balance between ongoing tasks and the pursuit of new ideas. He highlights how companies can allocate time and resources to ensure that both are managed effectively.

Middle managers: A key role

The discussion turns to the often underappreciated role of middle managers, who are essential in linking ideas from frontline employees with leadership. Bensaou stresses their importance in ensuring that good ideas are supported and brought to life.

Lessons from BASF and Bayer

Bensaou shares insights from BASF and Bayer, showing how these companies have created structured approaches to managing new ideas. He describes initiatives like Bayer’s "We Solve" platform that encourage employees to contribute solutions across the organisation.

Success through collaboration platforms

The conversation explores the effectiveness of collaborative platforms like Bayer’s "We Solve," where employees from various departments can offer solutions, leading to successful new products and processes.

Marketing’s role in fostering creativity

Dom reflects on the unique position of marketers, who are closely aligned with customer needs and problems, making them well-suited to drive creative efforts within their organisations. He discusses how aligning marketing with innovation can lead to greater customer satisfaction and business success.

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