Innovation is the driving factor behind society. Because people are innovative, new technologies are made, problems are solved, and the way we live our life changes. Innovation isn’t something that always just comes naturally, however. Leaders in our world are constantly looking for ways to innovate and find new solutions. Leaders in Oklahoma shared how they used and adapted to innovation throughout their own professional and personal lives.
“You have to move fast in the media,” said Ryan Welton, a digital media expert. “Leverage influence internally to make innovation happen.” New ideas and innovation aren’t always well received by the people within the company you are trying to innovate. Existing mindsets and ideas often resist change, making it challenging for new concepts to take hold.
Welton noted that he moves independently, sometime’s “asking for forgiveness rather than permission.” This approach emphasizes innovation’s need for bold action-pushing forward with new ideas, despite pushback someone may receive. If he hesitated, it is possible to miss opportunities for ground breaking possibilities. This sentiment was repeated multiple times, noting that change can be resisted both internally, and externally by the community.
Katie Ritchie, the brand and partnership manager for The Gathering Place in Tulsa explained how important community is for an idea. “A brand is a community, nothing to do with visuals, everything to do with people.” Ritchie’s words reflect how innovation needs to occur externally throughout the community: how it is possible to foster connections through innovation. At its core a brand, a brand is built by the community it serves. The Gathering Place, the largest privately funded park in U.S. history would not be successful without the community that it serves. While the Gathering Place is a beautiful park, the innovative success within wasn’t with the looks, but the community engagement. Ritchie explains that this didn’t happen overnight. “Took 5 years to get there, but you just respond to the feedback you see,” she said.
Effective innovation requires patience and feedback to get it right. Ritchie explained how some of her goals with the Gathering Place weren’t sustainable, and she had to consider the feedback of the community to finetune community events at the park. Armand McCoy, a faculty member at the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, explains that to fix this issue you have to, “Sit on [innovation] for 2-3 weeks then march forward, impulse is not the way.” Different from Welton’s bold approach of moving fast, both McCoy and Welton recognize the need for thoughtfulness when it comes to innovation. Balancing urgencies with strategic planning ensures that ideas are turned into long-term successes.
True innovation is a balancing act. Innovators must balance the needs of the community, the consumer, and the company to make sure that innovation is successful and long term. Welton says that, “[Innovation] cannot be forced.” In order to be truly innovative, it is important to understand the needs of the community. True innovation isn’t just a moment of inspiration-but a process that must combine feedback, patience, and bold action.