This article is written by Frédéric Baervoets, Manager, Innovation Lab Nido (FPS Strategy and Support, Belgian public sector). This article was also published by the OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI), available here.

  • The problem: All too often change management and innovation management are thrown into one basket.
  • Why it matters: Involving the whole organisation is an honourable but inefficient and even risky approach that can have a negative impact on the speed of innovation processes.
  • The solution: It is advisable for a small team to go on an expedition to a safe space first and explore new opportunities, while the others look after the (equally important) day-to-day business.

In the Belgian public sector I am noticing growing interest in innovation. At the same time I observe organisations struggle to differentiate between the disciplines of change management and innovation management and as a consequence, there is confusion over who should be involved in innovation initiatives.

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All too often change management and innovation management are thrown into one basket:

Innovation and change management are two distinct and important concepts within business management. Innovation is the process of introducing new ideas, processes and products to improve efficiency and effectiveness. This can include creating new strategies, technologies or products. Change management is the process of managing and implementing organisational change, such as introducing a new system or process. It encompasses the planning, communication and execution of the change.

Innovate by learning new dance moves, not trying to improve old routines

To make innovation projects successful, start by being open to new solutions and willing to challenge the status quo. Wanting to hear the feedback of citizens and companies served by the public sector is mandatory. Having a growth mindset is a prerequisite to getting started with innovation. We will not innovate by mastering and improving the same old dance routines.

Both innovation and change management are necessary to ensure success and competitiveness.

New and fresh approaches are required to succeed. Those who aren't ready to try new dances can focus on their regular duties. It is also important to start with a small group of enthusiastic employees who are keen to explore new ideas. And that’s OK — arguably too many people on the dancefloor make it too crowded and messy to try out new moves and routines.

Let's extend the invite to employees who want to shake things up/shake it out.

Innovation requires a safe dancefloor

Einstein said: “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” That is why innovation processes work best when they take place outside our usual structures and existing hierarchies. Innovation is best facilitated by a diverse set of experts, temporarily playing a role outside of their day-to-day duties. Their skill is to be able to adapt to the needs of the innovation process in question.

An innovation process can easily be understood as two-faceted.

The first facet includes a brave manager and a team, capable and willing to pinpoint core challenges. It takes courage to be open, to articulate real needs or problems and to implement end-user feedback.

The second facet includes a safe space for new ideas and solutions. Challenging the status quo and creating new ideas are often perceived as dangerous. Real innovators have the potential to disrupt a current situation. Although it is to the benefit of citizens, not all managers and employees might like this. Fear of change is another reason to consider the conditions to create a safe dancefloor and carefully consider participants.

Avoid people stuck at the bar, commenting on what’s happening on the dancefloor. These comments aren’t helpful for those trying new dance routines. Also, experimenting and failing at some new dance steps does not mean that all dances performed so far were worthless.

While it is important to communicate about the challenges and the milestones in any innovation process, it is essential not to get too hung up on the feasibility or precise content of solutions at the beginning. This can be focused on at a later stage once colleagues are more open to test new solutions. Innovation is an iterative process.

Change management is the implementation of a well-choreographed dance involving the whole organisation

Finding and testing innovative solutions for a well-formulated challenge make it essential to measure the results and impact of an innovative solution. By collecting this data, one will develop a business case that, in turn, allows you to argue in favour of new solutions. The business case is the source that decides the implementation of a solution.

According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, innovation is defined as “new, has added value and is implemented”. Implementation means introducing the component of or adding a new dance routine across the whole organisation. This is where planning, coordination and change is needed. Change management guides change to success.

In conclusion

Innovation relies on challenging the status quo and generating new ideas while change management is focused on the execution and implementation of those ideas. Innovation and change management are both essential elements in order to stay relevant. While each process has its own set of challenges, both innovation and change management are necessary to ensure success and competitiveness.

Involving the entire organisation in the initial stages of innovation can slow down the process. “You can go faster alone, but further together” is a truism. It's often more effective to start with a smaller, motivated team to explore new ideas in a safe space. In the end, change management will help the whole organisation to free itself from old routines and acquire new dance moves that work — significantly better.

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