Innovation in a Reinvented World: 10 Essential Elements to Succeed in the New World of Business

CHAPTER 13

The Reinventing Organization

There is no one size fits all for reinventing an organization. Although everyone must do their part for a business reinvention to have the impact the company desires, the executive champions and leadership team decides what this must look like. The following checklist includes a number of readiness questions that prepare your team for completing a strategic plan.

Readiness Checklist for Reinventing Your Organization

• What is your company's purpose? This goes to the heart of your business—what makes you proud to be in business? How do you make a difference in the world?
• Who are your customers (internal/external)? How would you describe your best customers? Who do you enjoy doing business with as partners and vendors?
• What organizational body of knowledge (policies, procedures, and programs) can be repurposed as needed?
• Does your business possess institutional knowledge? That is, do you have wisdom keepers with a deep history of the organization who can help bridge a reinvention? Do you know where they reside and what knowledge they possess?
• How radical is your organization? How comfortable is the company with being outside its comfort zone? When was the last time the organization reached into its roots to explore and discuss difficult situations? What happened? Is this documented and accessible?
• Is your organization more comfortable implementing change incrementally over a longer period of time?
• What occurred in the past when change was introduced ...