Innovation

Yes to the holistic approach!

While the health crisis has revealed the intrinsic need for companies to innovate rapidly, efficiently and disruptively, the question of how remains – and with it the notion of success: how do you manage your transformation when you’re a small business, an SME or a major corporation? How do you engage and unite the various publics concerned?
How do you avoid the pitfalls and failures that are synonymous with frustration for stakeholders, and wasted time and money for managers?
There’s only one answer to these questions : the Holistic Lab! What are we talking about when we talk about innovation?

Innovation as such is nothing new, but its definition has evolved over the last decade,” explains Patrick Hoffstetter, co-director of Connection Leadership.
In the past, it only concerned the product – and as such was carried out by R&D teams – but today it covers a much wider perimeter.”

The reason?

Global brand transformation.
“These (r)evolutions naturally impact the entire company, challenging all its departments in the process: HR, finance, purchasing, distribution, communications, marketing… So the structure is forced to rethink innovation in every pore of its skin… or die.
And that’s just as well, because it’s the sine qua non for a successful approach. “says Patrick Hoffstetter.

The three levels of transformation

For our expert, there are three levels – or wave forces – of transformation.
The first, common to all companies, is of course digitalization.
While this has a major impact on organization and processes, it does not alter the company’s DNA.
The second level concerns brands, which must reinvent themselves to counter the arrival of new players positioned upstream or downstream of their value chain.
Finally, the last level, by far the most critical, is the phenomenon of Uberization, i.e. the arrival on the market of disruptors who upset or even threaten incumbent companies by introducing a new economic model that undermines the traditional one.
“Whatever the intensity of the wave, the risk is to drown!” warns Patrick Hoffstetter.

Innovate, yes, but according to which model?

For companies, the question is no longer “should we transform? but rather “how can we make a success of our transformation?
And there is a wide range of practices in this area: some large groups choose tointernalize the process, by creating innovation units, for example.
Others join an incubator or become part of an investment fund.
Still others collaborate with, or even acquire, startups for their ability to move fast and bounce back quickly from setbacks, all with limited resources. There are many different models, but few of them are really satisfactory,” stresses the expert.
When we look at the different analytical frameworks, we see that the overall results are often not commensurate with the resources deployed.
When carried out in-house, particularly in intrapreneurial mode, the lack of disruptive recommendations often leads to frustration.
Conversely, when the process is entirely outsourced, the POCs* developed often come up against the company’s historical processes. The reason? Theabsence of a cross-functional vision and/or the refusal of a manager or brand to question itself. And it’s crucial!

The holistic approach as a lever for transformation

So how do we go about it? By highlighting the different dimensions that need to be taken into account to successfully transform the company. Our approach is based on a simple observation: the majority of unsuccessful transformations stem from a failure to take complexity into account,” explains Patrick Hoffstetter.
Through our holistic approach, which combines extensive benchmarking with in-depth knowledge of the human being, we support brands on a global scale, precisely reconciling their cultural, technological and business visions. From our point of view, you can’t have one without the other.

How does it work? The holistic innovation lab is divided into several phases: firstly, getting out of your comfort zone, opening up your chakras and taking an interest in all the weak signals, both internal and external.
Next, identify the potential within the company who will drive the process. “To engage a group in a lasting transformation, innovation must not be embodied ad hominem by a manager likely to change position, but must be aligned with the global strategy and the expectations and needs of employees.
It is therefore essential to create emulation between individual and collective dimensions, and to give meaning to everyone’s actions”. continues the co-director of Connection Leadership.
The third step is to select the right ideas. “To do this, we fight against convictions that are often deeply rooted, and we put aside the financial question in favor of more meaningful indicators.
Indeed, we must not confuse the issue: the challenge is not to enable the company to multiply its margins, but to be sustainable in its market.” The final step is to implement the selected POCs and roll them out where necessary, “always keeping in mind thebalance of the existing ecosystem, as this is the key to a successful transformation“.Patrick Hoffstetter Co-founder of Connection Leadership, Patrick has held a number of high-level positions over the past 30 years, both with major international groups and with GAFAs and startups.
** Study conducted by Founders Factory, a London-based gas pedal and incubator.