“If you want to increase initiative and innovation, you have to encourage and embrace failure. A culture that punishes less-than-ideal risk-related outcomes will stifle both initiative and innovation”.

Prevailing in face of intense competition requires companies to be nimble and innovative.

An innovative and high-initiative culture helps an organization respond better to market signals. It can better exploit opportunities, get new products and services to market more quickly and more often capture first-mover advantage.

I had an opportunity to conduct some proprietary research recently that sheds light on how to increase innovation and initiative-taking in organizations.

The Situation

I was retained by research and development operation of one of world’s largest consumer products companies. In past few years, they had acquired another consumer products company with some well known and highly regarded brands. The problem was that acquired company had a risk avoidance culture in stark contrast to acquiring company’s more risk inclined culture.

The talented scientist and engineers in R&D operation were a valued element of acquisition. But ingrained risk aversion within R&D staff was resulting in insufficient innovation.

My task was to help these high value team members expand their comfort zone and become more risk inclined.

The Research

Prior to time spent on-site at research labs, I conducted an anonymous on-line survey for R&D staff. The survey addressed following questions.

1. Organizational Culture – How, if at all, has risk culture changed in your organization in last few years?

2. Risk Hesitancy – What is your primary source of hesitation when it comes to taking work-related risks?

3. Risk Catalysts – What would make you more comfortable taking thoughtful, well-considered work-related risks?

Forty four people responded to survey. The results of survey yielded some fascinating insights.

Survey Result Highlights Risk Hesitancy - What is your primary source of hesitation when it comes to taking work-related risks?

The Implications of Failure – 59% Lack of Permission, Leadership, Support or Organizational Capability – 14% I Have No Hesitancy – 5% Risk Catalysts - What would make you more comfortable taking thoughtful, well-considered work-related risks?

Less-than-ideal outcomes being commended and not having a negative effect on career. – 49% Leadership Direction and Support – 31% Already Comfortable Taking Such Risks – 8% Note: Responses have been grouped by category. Respondents were provided an open ended essay format for their responses with no suggested answers provided.

Perceived Condition

The great majority (61%) of those responding said they were being encouraged to take more risks. The balance, in pretty much equal proportions, said there had been no significant change in last few years (21%) or they were being encouraged to take fewer risks (18%).

Clearly, leadership of organization had sent message that more risks needed to be taken.

Risk Hesitancy

When asked about their primary source of hesitation in taking work-related risks, almost six in ten (59%) said implications of failure.

If this sounds familiar, and you know that your productivity is suffering, maybe you want to try a little feng shui in your workspace.

Feng shui (pronounced "fung schway") is ancient art of placement and design that balances and enhances energy flow in an environment. This can be placement of a home on a piece of property, location of an office building on a city block, orientation of rooms in a house, arrangement of furniture in a room or objects on a desk.

For a complete feng shui evaluation, you need to consult with a professional. It's far too complex to address completely in an article. I'll just give you a few examples of techniques you can try so you can see if feng shui is for you.

In any situation, there will obviously be believers and non-believers, and this is true of co-workers as well as spouses. To effect change in corporate environment or at home, you have to start with yourself, and realistically this may be all you can accomplish.

At center of this belief system is a powerful reality that you need to be able to embrace: There is an energy flow that BRINGS abundance to all of life. Using feng shui to attract things to you means removing blockages and enhancing this natural flow. This doesn't mean you only need to move furniture around and then sit back and wait for money to arrive; it removes suffering and struggle and leaves you working from a place of peace at center of your being.

Clutter is stagnant energy that leaves no room for growth. The tendency to save things because "someday you might need them" indicates a lack of belief in energy flow that brings abundance to you. Your message to universe is that you don't trust that it will provide for you. The flow stops.

This energy flow, called ch'i ("chee"), enters through front door of any building or room and is then dispersed. It also enters through windows. It exits through doors and windows too. During day, it enters through windows, at night it exits, hence a reason to close curtains. Think of it as air or water flow; it's like that.

If you want more opportunity in your work environment, make sure path to door is as wide as door. This goes for paths, hallways and outer rooms. The easiest way to attract ch'i is to get rid of clutter; no toys scattered on paths to house, no shoes strewn in middle of hallway or piles of boxes between world and your desk.