At the IP Business Congress Asia 2014 (IPBC Asia 2014), a collection of IP experts from around the world are here in Shanghai, China sharing best practices and advice to help fellow IP workers. Yesterday during a panel discussing ways to build a world-class in-house IP team, a comment from the audience provided a valuable example of how management can stimulate innovation in a company inexpensively. At Aruba Laboratories, a social event was held in which a number of people cam wearing a T-shirt that said “Thought Leader.” Before the event, such T-shirts had been ordered for every person who had submitted an invention disclosure in the past year. There was buzz about what the T-shirts might mean and why some were wearing them. Then an executive spoke and congratulated those with the shirts, explaining what they meant. This simple, inexpensive act of recognition created an incentive to submit invention disclosures, which more than doubled that year. A 200% increase in invention disclosures shared–that’s a great return for a small amount of effort.
It’s important that management work to consistently recognize and show appreciation for the innovators in the company. It doesn’t require large bonuses, though I recommend that cash incentives also be used to recognize IP creation. Creating a culture of innovation above all requires the attention of management and leaders throughout the company.
There are many other issues to consider. For example, the attitude of the Legal Department in interacting with inventors can affect inventor attitudes for good or bad. When IP attorneys are aloof and bureaucratic, it can be a barrier. When they interact regularly with innovation teams and get to know and like the potential innovators of the company and take simple steps to encourage them, this can draw out important contributions. Facilitate innovation. Small things can become big barriers or big incentives. Pay attention to these factors and constantly gauge the health of your own innovation culture.