There’s comfort in making a plan. It’s neat. It’s predictable. It promises control. And for a while, it works. But life always throws a curveball.
Discover, Define, Develop, Deliver?
In my years of supporting organisations to innovate, I’ve seen this time and time again. Organisations cling to linear planning and then voice disappointment when things inevitably go wrong. They think that sticking to a scripted approach will lead them to success. But it rarely does. The plan cracks, obstacles arise and suddenly, what seemed like a straightforward path becomes a yellow brick road... Lions and tigers and bears. Oh my! But here’s the thing. Innovation doesn’t live in neat lines or rigid structures. It thrives when you allow flexibility. Or when you’re not afraid to tear up the plan and start again.
There's no such thing as a perfect plan
There’s this persistent belief in the world of business that if you just plan well enough, success is guaranteed. Every step mapped out, every milestone accounted for. But I’ve rarely seen it play out like that. When you plan rigidly, you limit your ability to respond to change. And change is inevitable. Whether it's shifting market demands, new technologies, or unexpected challenges, something will always come along to disrupt your path. If you're locked into a rigid structure, you're setting yourself up for complications.
Iteration, across the nation...
What if you gave yourself permission to be agile? What if you embraced a process where you can pivot, iterate and adapt as you go?
Iteration is where the real magic begins. It’s about trying, learning, refining. When you move through the core pillars of innovation - exploration, ideation, experimentation - you give yourself the freedom to adapt to new information. To evolve as the situation demands.
You try something. It doesn’t work. So you try again, but differently. Each iteration brings you closer to a solution that fits the moment, not just the plan. This approach creates space for creativity and resilience. It allows you to restore balance when the rug is pulled beneath you, without falling on your backside.
Teamwork makes the dream work
Innovation thrives in an environment where diverse perspectives come together. Engaging stakeholders and experts from across different teams and backgrounds is essential for driving real change. And when you involve a wide range of voices in a non-linear process, you uncover new levels of creativity and abductive reasoning that you miss with a staged process and single viewpoints.
Diversity encourages empathy, fuels creativity and makes solutions more robust. Enabling collaboration between cross-functional teams means that you're not just improving your chances of success, you're ensuring that the solutions you create are inclusive, adaptive and future-proof.
Conclusion
Plans are important. They give you a sense of direction. But don’t be afraid to let the plan go when the situation demands it. Don’t be afraid to embrace the uncertainty, the messiness, the unknown. Break down the walls, stages and gateways. Bring stakeholders and experts together. Innovation is a journey filled with obstacles and detours. The ones who succeed are the ones who embrace that journey, who stay agile, stay curious and let go of the rigid rules that hold them back.
Ready to embrace the unexpected and fuel real innovation? Book an Innovation Xploration with us today and see how flexibility, iteration and collaboration can lead to powerful breakthroughs.