Comments on: Do I have to slow up to grow up? http://naomisimson.com/2009/02/23/do-i-have-to-slow-up-to-grow-up/ Founder & CEO of Leading Online Gift Retailer, RedBalloon Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:52:11 +0000 hourly 1 By: Naomi Simson http://naomisimson.com/2009/02/23/do-i-have-to-slow-up-to-grow-up/comment-page-1/#comment-141 Naomi Simson Thu, 26 Feb 2009 08:32:07 +0000 http://naomisimson.com/index.cfm/2009/2/23/Do-I-have-to-slow-up-to-grow-up#comment-141 Hi Michael, Great feedback - and you're exactly right, the shear scale of what we want to do must not limit our 'dare to take risks' heritage. Hi Michael,
Great feedback – and you’re exactly right, the shear scale of what we want to do must not limit our ‘dare to take risks’ heritage.

]]> By: Michael http://naomisimson.com/2009/02/23/do-i-have-to-slow-up-to-grow-up/comment-page-1/#comment-142 Michael Mon, 23 Feb 2009 07:14:05 +0000 http://naomisimson.com/index.cfm/2009/2/23/Do-I-have-to-slow-up-to-grow-up#comment-142 Like you, I don't believe that an organisation's ability to innovate should be hindered by becoming more successful [read larger and more profitable]. However, I think it is important to recognise that as your business grows, its needs change. That $10M of revenue is now $100M annually. Those 800 suppliers are now 8,000. That web site downtime for one hour is now costing you $30,000 not $3,000. Here are seven things you can do keep your business innovative: 1. Keep the ‘innovators’ innovating. If they are getting bogged down in ‘business as usual’ find someone ‘average’ ;-) to take on the workload. 2. Recognise that innovation implies change and that there is just so much change your business can tolerate. It is better to aim for continuous self-improvement rather than a mid-life crisis. 3. Given that you can only absorb so much change, prioritise the areas in which you would like to see your business become more innovative. 4. Reward innovation but more importantly reward innovative ideas that have been successfully implemented or better still, that have demonstrated business value. 5. Recognise that your business is changing and support it. 6. Formalise and optimise your processes so they become disciplines. 7. Define an architecture (people, processes, systems) that can support your business today and accommodate your innovations into the future. Like you, I don’t believe that an organisation’s ability to innovate should be hindered by becoming more successful [read larger and more profitable]. However, I think it is important to recognise that as your business grows, its needs change. That $10M of revenue is now $100M annually. Those 800 suppliers are now 8,000. That web site downtime for one hour is now costing you $30,000 not $3,000.

Here are seven things you can do keep your business innovative: 1. Keep the ‘innovators’ innovating. If they are getting bogged down in ‘business as usual’ find someone ‘average’ ;-) to take on the workload. 2. Recognise that innovation implies change and that there is just so much change your business can tolerate. It is better to aim for continuous self-improvement rather than a mid-life crisis. 3. Given that you can only absorb so much change, prioritise the areas in which you would like to see your business become more innovative. 4. Reward innovation but more importantly reward innovative ideas that have been successfully implemented or better still, that have demonstrated business value. 5. Recognise that your business is changing and support it. 6. Formalise and optimise your processes so they become disciplines.

7. Define an architecture (people, processes, systems) that can support your business today and accommodate your innovations into the future.

]]>