Innovation!

Innovation is necessary not only for organisations but also for individuals

Unless an organisation has a specific innovation policy it will stagnate and gradually die. Most cotton textile mills have met the same fate. Clothing is one of the basic needs (Roti, Kapada aur Makaan) but now a day the clothing needs are met by garments manufacturers who prefer to secure their customers by procuring cloth from small manufacturer. Mills were used to manufacture a particular quality, colour style of cloth in large quantities only. They would sell the cloth to hundreds of thousands of retailers throughout the country. But times changed. Fashion came in. Fashion Designers came to the fore. They influence consumer with their innovations. Consumer habits changed. Instead of buying cloth and getting dresses stitched, they started wearing fashion garments. Everyone on the scenario was creatively engaged in innovation. But the mills did not innovate. Result is known to everyone. Mills stagnated and died.

You might ask how should one bring innovation in one’s life. How is it important when we are talking not of an organisaiton but an individual? The answer is by upgrading one’s knowledge and skills. Gone are the days of rich zamindars  who  will remain rich and commanding position. Who will continue to treat the labourers as slaves? An ordinary worker with a desire to succeed and determination to innovate can become Dhirubhai Ambani or Steve Jobs or Bill Gates or Warren Buffer.

Among other things innovation also requires an ability to take some risk in life. There is nothing 100 percent risk free. Once in a while in spite of all odds in your favour, you may still fail. There too your creative mind and passion for innovation will make you resilient to start another project.

Even when we are talking of personal relationships constant application of mind, innovative methods can bring back the lost love and/or effectively repair the seemingly irreparable relationship

Use your creativity and imbibe innovation in your personality. Life will be very interesting and worth yearning for, not just living!

Change Management

"People are always blaming circumstances for what they are. I do not believe in circumstances. The people who get on in the world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want and if they don't find them, they make them!"

These words of George Bearnard Shaw are more relevant today than ever before. In the continuous changing society, it is imperative to rely on knowledge, process and technology - all three to keep pace with the change. Leaders must keep in mind the following aspects for effectively ensuring and properly implementing change in the organisations they lead. These are:

1. Innovation: The leader should have the the ability to innovate. This requires imagination, knowledge and perspective, and a thorough understanding of the organisation he leads.

2. Personal Involvement: It is necessary for the leader to be personally involved for the efficacy of the strategy to bring about change. He can not carry out the same by proxy.

3. The Leader should know what needs to be done in general, though not in detail. This should be true at every stage of change management.

4. The Leader must be able to deal with ambiguity and be willing to take the required risks. Not taking any risks is the biggest risk.

5. Above all, the leader must understand and correctly assess how much the organisation can change and at what speed.


Satish Kakri, Director - Nimble Foundation