An innovation fairy-tale
Some seasonal advice from Santa…
(with apologies to Clement Clarke Moore…)
T’was the week before Christmas and all through the building
The sounds could be heard of people scurrying
A hum of excitement, of anticipation
It wouldn’t be long now till the Christmas vacation
The offices decked out with bright decorations
Cotton wool snowmen, like sentries at stations
Glitter and tinsel, reds, golds and greens
Turning grey offices to bright winter scenes
Christmas tree by the copier, dressed with colourful lights
That twinkled and flashed, turning everything bright
Cards on each desk filling up each in-tray
And presents just waiting for giving the next day
Faces all smiling, eyes burning bright
The end of the week and the holiday in sight
The whole place was brimming with bright Christmas cheer
Looking forward to a future with nothing to fear
But up in the boardroom on the very top floor
Gloom covered the carpet from window to door
All alone at the window, her face wreathed in frown
The Managing Director in sorrow looked down
Outside snow was falling, blanketing the city
The flakes swirling gently, so white and so pretty
Settling softly on streets far below
The bright lights reflecting a warm winter glow
But she saw none of this as her eyes looked on out
Inside her mind, wracked with worry and doubt
What of the future, how could they go on?
In a changing world — did they still belong?
As the year’s end approached her thoughts kept on turning
To an uncertain future, and dimly discerning
That more of the same would just not be enough
In a world getting harder, the going more tough
‘We need innovation, we need something new
What’s helped us get this far just won’t see us through
We need inspiration, to change who we are
But how to create that ?— might as well wish on a star!
Just then she saw something, a sparkle, a flashing
Like stardust, followed by shouts and clashing
On the neighbouring building, where the helipad lay
She saw what looked remarkably like Father Christmas’s sleigh
She blinked, looked again, peered through the snow swirl
And yes, there he was, red face capped with white curls
And behind him, pawing the white covered surface
A team of eight reindeer, quivering with purpose
Next to them a sleigh, piled high with presents
Each one neatly labelled, for each lucky recipient
A couple of elves were sorting and shifting
Filling Santa’s sack with the gifts they were lifting
The jolly man shouldered his well-stocked sack
Disappeared for an instant — and then he was back
T’was the work of a moment, another delivery done
Father Christmas was ready with his team to move on
But as he sat on the sleigh the reins in his hand
Ready to make the next drop on his round
He looked in the window, saw the worried MD
And said to his reindeer, ‘ Wait just a moment for me…’
In less than an instant he was across, in the room
With the MD whose shoulders still slumped low in gloom
Santa’s quick brain soon saw what was wrong
And how he could help, it wouldn’t take long
He laid a wizened finger alongside of his nose,
Winked, nodded, then from his sack a present he chose
Laid it on the boardroom table, with a smile, as if to say
‘I think this’ll help your worries go away’
Then he was gone, once more climbing aboard his great sleigh
Calling his reindeer to pull them away
‘Come Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen
Comet and Cupid, Donner and Blitzen
The MD picked up the gift the strange man had left
Unwrapped it to find ‘ The Innovation Chemistry set’
Filled with bottles and powders, crystals and stuff
Felt a glimmer of hope, might this be enough?
She read the instructions, their message was plain
“If you want innovation again and again -
The first thing to do is create the conditions
And share with your workforce the innovation vision
They’re the ones who can help win the innovation race
They know how to do it, they just need the space
They’ve got plenty of skills and great new ideas
Just remember to listen, lend them your ears!
Give them a process, mark out the route
To take ideas forward so that they bear fruit
Build on their perspectives, draw in the diverse
Explore different viewpoints, that’s better not worse
Give them the tools, show them the how
Of value creation. Encourage them now
Not to be afraid of experiment and failure
But to learn fast and well to help succeed later
There’s one more key action that you need to take
Innovation’s not a slogan, don’t make that mistake
It needs to be part of everything you do
So make sure you support them to see those ideas through
Draw these strands together, weave them in well
Across your organization, it won’t take long till
Innovation starts pulsing again from its heart
With every employee playing their part”
The MD felt like a great burden had lifted
That weight on her shoulders had suddenly shifted
With such reassurance, with such ingredients new
She realised there really might be a way through
She looked out once more, as the snow fell around
Saw the sleigh in the distance, heard the faintest of sounds
Saint Nicholas calling as he flew out of sight
‘Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!’
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