Is Your Innovation Stuck In Hopes And Dreams
After 25 days non-stop sailing, we made it to the Marquesas
We’re anchored in Nuka Hiva, the Marquesas, overlapping with the World ARC fleet again. The tight, two-year circumnavigation schedule for their thirty boats is what makes their dream a reality.
Every decision, from where they anchor to how they handle repairs, is shaped by it. In business, just like in sailing, that kind of structure isn’t just logistics. It’s the heartbeat of progress.
In our last newsletter, we talked about crafting your Innovation Ethos. But an ethos isn’t enough. It has to continuously show up in what you do and how you communicate it. That’s what we’ll explore today.
Let’s jump into it
The World ARC is known for fast-tracking less experienced crews through some of the world’s most challenging passages.
Their rally has set meeting points, timelines, expectations and contingencies. An Innovation Ethos needs the same level of rigour around it.
It has to be operationalised and communicated to take effect. Without that, it’s just a nice idea gathering dust.
Our boat is somewhere amongst the World ARC boats
This is where companies often stumble. They may have a shiny new ethos, but as Monday morning rolls around, it’s back to silos and safe bets.
For innovation to stick, you need systems that drive action. When these systems are in place, your external message builds belief. Both work together to create momentum.
If your ethos leans toward fast iteration, as an example, set up short feedback loops with weekly sprints or rapid prototypes. If it’s about bold risks, carve out a sandbox for wild ideas with no strings attached.
A helpful resource
When internal operations and external expression reinforce each other, innovation moves from hopes and dreams to a reality.
Too often, what happens inside doesn’t align with how it’s communicated externally. This is where the Innovation Loop comes in.
The Innovation Loop
A company that experiments boldly inside but plays it safe outside creates confusion. A brand that markets itself as cutting-edge, but stifles creativity internally is just a façade.
This is what separates companies that talk about innovation from those that deliver it. Pressure test your loop with these questions:
- Alignment check: Do your internal workflows reflect the innovation you promise externally, or is there a gap?
- Support systems: What tools, rituals or resources help make innovation a natural part of your team’s rhythm?
- Team pulse: Are your people empowered and aligned to drive innovation, and share it with clarity?
- Signal strength: How do customers and partners experience your innovation, and does it match what you say?
The World ARC, which includes many relatively new sailors, crossed their first major ocean in just three months. This is because they operationalised their vision, turning ambition into a working system.
That’s the goal in business too. Strong internal rhythms create space to express your ethos clearly and rally others around it.
Innovation gains momentum when your actions reflect & amplify what you communicate
And there’s more
✏️ Join: The first webinar in my Creative Ops Series, Manage Creative Freelancers & Agencies like a Pro” is 1 May. Join us!
📚 Read: A Brief History of the World in 47 Borders by Jonn Elledge is a fascinating look at how all those lines were drawn and redrawn.
🎧 Listen: If you want to brush up on your French, Little Talk in Slow French podcast by Nagisa Morimoto is a good resource.
📍Visit: If you’re researching summer holidays, a cruise on Havila in Norway is a great way to see the country in a eco-conscious way.