The Fight for Innovation: Learn From the Navy

How the US Navy is determined to challenge everything, starting by its own creative potential.

Pic by Pawel Kadysz

What does an Xbox controller have to do with designing the next-generation submarine? Much more than you think. That’s what I learned at the recent Fast Company’s Innovation Uncensored conference, where I was able to see how the US Navy is determined to challenge everything, starting by its own creative potential.

Many organizations talk about innovation like it’s something that can be built. I like to believe that creativity is already there; it simply needs to be nurtured. Organizations need to be liberated — thus, the title of this blog — from the behaviors or emotions that don’t allow innovation to flow.

Back to the Navy. There are, lots of lessons that we can learn from them:

• Start with a bold question: The way you kick-off an innovation challenge helps define the goal. The Navy asked participants, “How soon can these ideas become a reality aboard submarines?” That helped set the stage. It was a clear message that participants were not expected to simply brainstor…