In this presentation, I discuss the aspects you need to develop in your people, your teams, and your organization to become innovative. I also discuss the two types of innovation your organization should be open to taking on and lastly how you make innovations support your organization. This has a slight Government slant, but should be useful for most any organization. I'll be posting replies to comments received at the AgileDC conference; most likely on my blog: boosianspace.posterous.com.

1. Creating a Culture for Government
Innovation following the Feng Shui
or ways to increase Government
agility and effectiveness
Paul Boos

2. But first…. some definitions…
feng shui / fəng shwē / Noun: (in Chinese thought)
A system of laws considered to govern arrangement
and orientation in relation to the flow of energy (qi)
cul·ture / kəl·chər / Noun:
The total of the inherited ideas, beliefs, values,
and knowledge, which constitute the shared
bases of social action.
in·no·vate / in·ə·vāt / Verb:
1. Make changes in something established, esp.
by introducing new methods, ideas, or products.
2. Introduce something new, esp. a product.
Change has to become
the norm for good flow.
Definitions from dictionary.com.

3. Put another way…

4. to

5. And second…. some limitations…
Statutory Requirements
Federal Policies
i.e.Do
What’s
Budget Right
Public Trust
Limits inhibit innovation.
While we must remain aligned to these,
don’t artificially add any.

6. So we’re going
start to sow
some seeds
to harvest
innovation.

7. Let’s start with a question…
And that is…
WHY? Why doesn’t the Gov’t innovate?
This will be answered by yourselves as
we take the Path to Enlightenment.

8. The Path of Enlightenment
1 Vision to bind them
Ummm… wait that’s bring them into focus
2 Types of Innovation to encourage
3 Organization Traits to develop
4 Team Values to support
5 Personae Characteristics to grow

9. Let’s explore the innovation personae.
What characteristics do we need to
grow in our people…

10. Learning
through experience
When was the last time you read
something and tried to put it into
practice? … f e e d y o u r b r a i n …

11. …and
Unlearning
There is no such thing as best practices.
We won’t always do it this way.
Unravel the need. Simplify.

12. creating
Experiments!
Fail early to succeed. Each failure
is a learning experience to
succeed in your context.

13. making a
Commitment
Self.
Customer.
Team.
Change.

14. maintaining
Passion

15. What’s the Feng Shui for the
5 persona characteristics?
In Feng Shui, the Number 5 carries the
energy of -
change,
resourcefulness,
adventure
Without the 5, innovation can’t happen.

16. Let’s explore the innovation team.
What values do we need to grow in a
team…

17. People and Interactions
It’s more than one of us.

18. It gives confidence
& instills trust.

19. Customer
Collaboration
Pulling together;
no one loses.

20. Welcoming
Change
New opportunities arise only through change.

21. What’s the Feng Shui for these 4 team
values?
In Feng Shui, the Number 4 carries the meaning of –
stability,
grounding,
security
The team provides stability during the changes.

22. Let’s explore the innovation organization.
What traits do we need to grow
in the organization…
Diagram from Pictofigo

23. Servant Leadership
Helping others grow to their full capacity
unleashes loyal talent and energy.

24. Increased Authority
&
Reponsibility
Greater experimentation happens
when no one takes ownership
away.

25. Cross-Functional
Structures
Diagram from Pictofigo
Broaden knowledge and spur new ideas by
helping diverse backgrounds come together.

26. What’s
the Feng Shui
for the 3 traits
of the organization?
In Feng Shui, the Number 3 carries the energy of -
creativity,
family,
self-expression
With safety, comes inventiveness.

27. There are two forms of innovation.
Lay seed for both.

28. Kaizen
Small innovations
improve existing
products and services.

29. Kaikaku
Disruptive innovations
create new products and services.

30. What’s the Feng Shui for the forms
of innovation?
In Feng Shui, the Number 2 carries the energy of -
balance,
choice,
cooperation
Continuously pursue Kaizen
while leveraging Kaikaku.

31. How do you bring innovations together
into a cohesive direction?
Innovation still must support your
organizational mission.

32. A clearly communicated vision will
bring the multitude of possible
innovations together into focus.
The vision helps everyone understand
the effectiveness of their innovations.

33. What’s the Feng Shui for the single
vision?
In Feng Shui, the Number 1 carries the
energy of -
unobstructed flow of energy,
new beginnings
Visualize the flow.

34. Visualize
the flow.
The portfolio roadmap is the flow of innovation.
The value stream is the execution of vision.

35. What’s the Feng Shui
for these put 5 persona characteristics
+ 4 team principles
together? + 3 organizational elements
+ 2 types of innovation
+ 1 vision/envisioning as a flow
15  1 + 5 = 6
In Feng Shui the number 6 yields -
calm,
patience
Exactly what one needs during change

36. Innovation (change) seems
to lack calmness when we
are missing one of these
but wait there’s one more thing…

37. You can’t innovate
unless you reflect on
what can
be better…

38. Put another way…
To generate innovations
for the vision (of the future),
you reflect on the gaps (of the past).
Past & Future
Back to the Feng Shui of 2

39. Retrospection
adds balance or choice
to the change;
it is a reminder of why,
our feedback loop.
It keeps us
on the path
or tells us when
a new path is needed.

40. So when retrospection is added
the Feng Shui is…
6 (yielding calm, patience)
+ 2 for Retrospection
8
In Feng Shui, the number 8 represents –
infinity,
abundance,
success in business

41. like
is
Missing any of

42. It could become
a difficult step
to innovation.

43. A summary of the Feng Shui for
Government Innovation:
5 People-Oriented Characteristics to
Encourage
4 Team Values to Support
3 Organizational Traits to Develop
2 Innovation Choices to Utilize
Set 1 Vision and Reflect to Know How
You’re Doing

44. Sow. Grow. Harvest.
Innovation

45. Thanks!
boos.paul@epa.gov
@paul_boos