I don't care about your innovation process

When training executives on how to invest in their innovation projects, I often stress the following:

Your shiny innovation process is irrelevant. It doesn't matter if the team followed your latest "innovation playbook" if they can't show any compelling evidence of customer demand, strategic alignment, and growth potential.

Innovation is inherently uncertain. Doing everything "right" can still result in a failed investment. A team shouldn't be penalised* just because they found some "short-cut" or different way to innovate, as long as they have results to show.

Of course processes are important—after all, most of my work is helping clients institute efficient innovation processes and systems—but we must never forget that they are in service of outcomes.

*Unless they did something amoral, unethical, or illegal. Going against company handbook is rarely any of those three.