Innovation. Virtually everyone hopes they are considered innovative, and organisations and our societies at large also want to be seen as being innovative, but there are several myths surrounding innovation that ought to be debunked. We revisit our 2019 interview with Lorenzo Hodges, of innovation strategy firm, Plain White Table, in which he discusses, among other things: the biggest misconception people have about innovation; how innovation can be systematised in organisations; and critical elements that must be in place for innovation to truly become part of an organisation’s culture.
This episode is also available on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music!!
In the business evolution landscape, two buzzwords stand out prominently: innovation and digital transformation. Both concepts have reshaped industries and the consumer experience, and have propelled organisations toward unprecedented heights of success. However, what often goes unnoticed is the intricate connection between the two. Innovation and digital transformation are not mutually exclusive or exist on parallel tracks. A symbiotic link exists.
Digital transformation involves leveraging digital technology into all aspects of an organisation, to streamline processes, enhance efficiency, and foster agility in responding to market demands, thus fundamentally altering how it operates and delivers value to customers. On the other hand, innovation is the lifeblood of progress. It’s the process of introducing novel ideas, products, or methods that challenge the status quo and push boundaries. At its core, innovation is about solving problems creatively and uncovering new growth opportunities.
Recognising that the synergy between innovation and digital transformation is unmistakable, we sought it fitting to return to one of our earlier interviews on innovation. However, if considered through the lens of digital transformation, it seems to provide organisations with a blueprint for embarking on that intense process.
Introducing our guest
Lorenzo Hodges is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Plain White Table, an innovation strategy and capacity development firm, based in Trinidad and Tobago. A tech industry veteran and an award-winning innovation strategist with over 20 years of experience in delivering solutions across diverse industries.
Lorenzo is a highly regarded business leader operating at the intersection of business, design and technology. His areas of expertise include corporate and digital innovation, experience design, business model design, new product and service development, and marketing.
Insights into our conversation
This conversation with Lorenzo was recorded in 2019, and though the focus was on innovation and how business leaders could better foster it within their organisations, the principles discussed seem especially apt to the ongoing digital transformation conversations that are being had.
When embarking upon a digital transformation, all too often, organisations’ primary focus is on the technology, and how technology can be integrated into existing processes. However, interrogating these processes and exploring whether they can be done more efficiently and effectively to better serve the organisation, its employees and its customers, is not only at the heart of a digital transformation exercise but is also where innovation is needed.
To that end, Lorenzo is of the view that, among other things, there is more to being innovative than just sitting and waiting to be inspired, and all areas of an organisation can leverage and enjoy the benefits of innovation. Moreover, instead of just waiting around to be inspired, organisations can systematically and sustainably foster innovation.
Below are key questions that guided our conversation with Lorenzo.
- Why the name, Plain White Table, for the company and why did Lorenzo decide to start such a business?
- What Lorenzo thinks is the biggest misconception people have about innovation?
- Is there a way to systematise innovation in an organisation?
- What has been the biggest lesson Lorenzo has had to learn (so far) in running his own business?
- What have been some of the benefits and challenges Lorenzo has experienced in being an entrepreneur in his 20s, and now?
- What might 3 to 5 things you would suggest an organisation examines to determine its innovation potential?
We would love to hear your thoughts!
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Select links
Below are links to some of the organisations and resources that either were mentioned during the episode, or otherwise, might be useful:
Image credits: L Hodges; Daria Nepriakhina (Unsplash); Fathromi Ramdlon (Pixabay); Kaboompics.com (Pexels)
Music credit: The Last Word (Oui Ma Chérie), by Andy Narrell
