Importance of Values in Innovation

Values are enduring beliefs that help us determine what we seek in life and guide our behavior on a day-to-day basis.
 
Individuals and organizations operate on a set of core values whether they are implicit or explicit. These values touch every aspect of work, shaping people’s experience and determining how they will act and make decisions. Different values create different understandings and lead to different decisions and actions.

The GoInnovate! ValueSet drives swift, continual and effective innovation and make the impossible possible. Violating these values could spells disaster for creativity and innovation.  

The five GoInnovate! System values are:

• Openness: Receptivity, flexibility, seeks and accepts ideas from others, actively communicating
• Intention: Acting on purpose, willpower, volition, restraint
• Courage: Fearlessness, confidence, willing to challenge ideas,  will stand steadfast in the face of adversity 
• Integrity: Honesty, doing what one says he or she will do, doing the right thing
• Calmness: Evenmindedness, composed, not easily disturbed or excited

Keep in mind that the expression of these values exists on a continuum, e.g. frantic/always upset/angry to blissfully calm. We often move up and down the continuum depending on circumstances. And that is the key point. We want to develop these values so they are NOT situationally determined but rather lived consistently.
 

Do you want to know what your values are? Just look at your behavior. 

 
Before we can transform organizations to be more creative and innovative, we must transform ourselves. Values are a key lever in that transformation because they permeate every aspect of our work. We don’t need permission or resources to begin improving our expression of these values. And we will almost always be rewarded with better results and personal satisfaction.