If you have done any of the steps noted in the “cultivation cycle” for any length of time, you have definitely come across challenges and barriers. Table D4.1 aligns several common barriers to the 25 plays as options you can select to start developing a culture of innovation (see Chapter 5 for more detail about these plays). These barriers and plays are further categorized under the five organizational elements that can affect culture.

Table D4.1: Common Barriers and Plays to Solve Them.

 

Leader-Related Barriers	Leader-Related Plays
Not attuned to innovation	Play 1: Prioritize Innovation
Micromanagement	Play 2: Empower Staff
Sticking to the status quo	Play 3: Drive Change
Lack funding	Play 4: Seek Affordable Solutions
Putting the employee first	Play 5: Put the Customer First

 

 

Staff-Related Barriers	Staff-Related Plays
Fear of failure	Play 6: Develop an Innovation Mindset
Fear of retribution	Play 7: Create a Safe Environment
Office politics	Play 8: Support Open Dialogue
Resisting change	Play 9: Focus on Behaviors that Support Change
Not communicating	Play 10: Improve Communications

 

 

Strategy and Policy-Related Barriers	Strategy and Policy-Related Plays
Lack a clear strategic plan	Play 11: Develop a Unifying Strategic Plan
Values do not support innovation	Play 12: Align with Organizational Values that Support Innovation
Focused on the short term	Play 13: Focus on the Long Term
Lack of unique & fresh ideas	Play 14: Prioritize an Exceptional, Comprehensive Team
Rigid HR hiring procedures HR policies reward outcomes, not process	Play 15: Drive Innovation into HR Policies and Practices

 

 

Organizational Structure-Related Barriers	Organizational Structure-Related Plays
Bureaucracy	Play 16: Aligning Organizational Structure to Support Innovation
Isolating innovation	Play 17: Effectively Roll Out Structural Changes
Inconsistent innovation acceptance	Play 18: Develop Strategies by Business Function to Overcome Resistance to Change
Not collaborating (low risk-tolerance)	Play 19: Create a Collaborative Work Environment
No budget for innovation	Play 20: Emphasizing Organizational Budgets to Support Innovation

 

 

Process and Procedure-Related Barriers	Process and Procedure-Related Plays
Lack of motivating goals	Play 21: Discover What Motivates Employees
Lack of time	Play 22: Structure Time for Speculation
Lack of training	Play 23: Provide Innovation-Related Learning Experiences
Working in silos	Play 24: Collaborate with Internal and External Partners
Lack of shared information	Play 25: Focus on Learning by Transferring Knowledge

Do any of these strike a chord? If so, you now have a jump start into which plays in Chapter 5 you should consider first. If not, you can still use this handy matrix as a quick reference to align your plays in the future.