Innovation Dream Team

There's a lot being written about innovation these days, much of it by people who I suspect have never really done anything truly innovative in their life. One from something called "Innovation In Practice- The Corporate Perspective (a sure fire tip-off here) on Innovation Methods" forced me to comment. Some key points and my take on it. The title was "How to form an Innovation Dream Team"

1. The leader of an innovation is needed to provide brakes on ideas that are off base. "Brakes" are not needed. Most corporate people are too scared to offer truly divergent opinions in front of the boss. Everyone watches to see what he or she will say. There are situations where the boss needs to be in the room, but not to provide brakes on the group. The boss needs to set the direction, contribute, build on the ideas of others, encourage new ways of thinking, and let people be a little wrong sometimes. If he or she tries to apply the brakes to every bad idea, the group will flounder.

2. 12-16 people is the ideal team size to balance off the various functions. Way too many. No more than 8, but 5-6 is better. Too many people, each with their little role inhibits teamwork. The Marine fire squad is a good model.

3. Need gender, cultural, and functional diversity. People do not fit into narrow functional, cultural, or gender roles. The real diversity that is needed is different ways of thinking, which has nothing to do with organizational function, skin color, cultural background, or gender. I've seen lawyers who are closet poets, for example.

A "Dream Team" needs to be a small group with different styles of thinking and expertise and a leader who encourages them and supports them.