In today's fast-paced business world, innovation isn't just a goal; it's key for success and lasting power. While many companies, around 83%, say innovation is a top-three priority, surprisingly few, just 3%, feel ready to make it happen. This gap often shows the need for innovation groups, teams tasked with finding and growing new ideas. But just putting a team together isn't enough, especially when you consider that a lot, maybe 95%, of company innovation plans don't work out as planned. In my 30+ years in tech and project management, with a love for working together, I’ve seen that the 𝘩𝘰𝘸 is really important. I love setting up environments where groups can innovate and win together. Building a good innovation group starts with knowing that innovation should be encouraged in everyone, not just a few people. It's about setting up a space where different views are not just welcome but wanted, since this variety often helps define problems better and find more original answers. This means creating a culture of open talk, where people feel safe sharing unusual ideas without being judged. It's like letting groups learn from mistakes, making this safety very important. To really use this potential, some strategic things are key: 1. 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗥𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲: Making sure people know their roles and how they help reach the bigger innovation goals is key. This clarity, with a real desire to work together, is where the magic happens for innovation to grow. Matching group goals with the company's big picture makes commitment even stronger. 2. 𝗗𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲: Innovation needs space. Giving specific time for innovation projects and making sure there are tools and resources lets groups look at new ideas beyond their daily work. 3. 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: While strong leadership to guide and measure progress matters, it must have support from leaders who can remove problems and back the group's work. Leading by example and joining in on the innovation can also inspire the group. In the end, innovation is a never-ending process, not a one-time thing. It takes work to grow creativity, encourage trying new things, and changing as you go. How are you setting up your groups to not just go after innovation, but to really make it part of your company's DNA?