Internal or External Innovative Forces

I remember having coffee with a telecom executive and posing the question of how they innovate within his organization. His first response was to say "That's a difficult question."

I then brought up the article OFFICE SPACE: ARMCHAIR M.B.A.; Tension Headaches In The Corner Office which discusses the same issue and how McKinsey & Company consults with companies struggling with the corporate equivalent of writer's block.

Like so many other executives, he faced the same issues of garnering internal alignment while quashing competing internal mandates. However, he held the power to endorse the initiative whether it be internal or via an external consultant. Without that critical executive sponsorship, the competing mandates will win and alignment will never materialize.

This is not a new idea but one worth reiterating. What was also interesting from the article was the idea that companies are facing unexpected external competitors as in the case where telecom and media companies are fighting off competitors that are blurring the lines between the two sectors.