Consultant, Kazmarski LLC | Co-Founder/President, Locally Grown Inc. Jenna Kaczmarski, MSPH, RD, SNS The Strategy of INNOVATION
What comes to mind when you think of innovation?
I bet you didn’t think of strategy did you? The truth is innovation without strategy may not get you the results you were hoping for. In fact, the same is true for strategy without innovation. Focusing on innovation with no planned strategy is like driving a race car without a map, fun and exciting at first until you realize you don’t know where you are going or why you are going there. Strategy without innovation is like driving a Volvo with GPS and a printed map, reliable and safe, but pretty boring. So, here’s the secret…. Innovation + Strategy = MAGIC! Innovation can mean big, bold, new ideas , but here’s thething,itcanalsomeanincrementalimprovements over time to an existing product, system or service. The magic happens when the innovation is aligned strategically with your values, your mission and your goals, keeping you laser focused on your mission. If you want to be innovative, you need a strategic plan Every successful business has a solid strategic plan and every school nutrition program should operate like a successful business. If you don’t have a strategic plan in place, what are you waiting for? Even better, when you bake innovation into your strategic plan you ensure that you will always be moving forward centered on serving your customers better and creating a culture that your employees will get excited about, can you say retention…… that’s right a culture of innovation supported by strategy can help you retain quality talent!
Don’t worry, it’s not as scary as you think
Strategic planning might sound overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Get someone outside your department and organization to guide and engageyour team through the process and make sure everyone is involved! Leaders often fall into the trap of feeling like they need to have all the answers.Truth is, the best leaders know how to ask good questions, not provide good answers.To encourage participation from all, consistently ask all members of your team “what do you think.” The best ideas often emerge from unexpected places. A well organized strategic planning process can strengthen your team and leave everyone feeling energized and full of passion. Leadership is not about being the hero, it is about facilitating others to achieve greatness together. Recipe for a great strategic plan:
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