innovation - Catherine Allen

What are some of the core principles of being an organizational innovator? According to Catherine Allen, people who work to innovate within big companies need to develop several essential skills. "There should never be just one person in an organization who owns the latest innovation, because then people get stuck out on a limb defending a new idea all by themselves," she says. "Innovators who work in an organization that lacks shared ownership of new concepts often end up getting shot, like the people leading the front lines in the military."

What is the right way to practice innovation? "When you have a great idea, the first thing that you need to think about is marketing it internally. Ask yourself who will be impacted by it. Then seek those people out. Make the impact of the innovation a win-win for everyone. You'll find that the people who start out as your greatest detractors will end up being your best friends."

Ron Lieber (rlieber@fastcompany.com) is a Fast Company senior writer. You can reach Catherine Allen by email (cathy@bankersround.org).