How health brands can create an internal culture of healthy innovation

Good article by Jessie Scanlon, senior writer for Innovation & Design at BusinessWeek, titled How 3M Forged a Culture of Innovation.

Key to 3M’s success in launching and bringing Filtek Supreme Plus, the cosmetic dental industry’s leading composite for restorative work, and the one new product example cited in the article, was recognizing collaboration as an essential element of innovation and then creating the systems to support it.

What can executives learn from 3M’s approach to collaboration?

• Create support networks to spread knowledge across the company
• Build collaboration into employees evaluation system
• Encourage curiosity
• Create innovation funds
• Don’t underestimate the value of physical proximity

Beyond these, I think there are a few more important takeaways:

First, 3M’s approach integrates innovation into everyday company operations. It doesn’t limit it to lightning bolt moments, particularly important in difficult (lean) times like these.

Second, this culture of collaboration provides more opportunity to create new and greater value across all aspects of the business and the brand experience, as different perspectives are brought to the table.

Third, it energizes and aligns employees around the notion of a healthy disrespect for the present reality. And who among us doesn’t like to escape reality every once in a while?