How to create a culture of innovation

The Advancing Science for Life newsletter brings you the health innovations that can help patients experience more of what truly matters: more time, more well-being and more moments with the people they love. In this edition, we’re focusing on how innovation happens: Not by happy accident, but as the result of a deliberate culture that encourages creativity and collaboration. 

Here, Boston Scientific Co-founder and Director Emeritus John Abele reflects on why culture is a company’s greatest asset, and how leaders can create a culture of innovation. 

True or false? For a company to innovate, all you need is to assemble some smart people, then let the magic happen. 

Answer: FALSE. Granted, a gathering like that could generate some excellent ideas. But innovation is more than just having a great idea; it’s what you do with that great idea to turn it into a reality. 

Therein lies the challenge, because turning an act of imagination into a real-life product, like a medical device, is no small feat. It’s a long and winding process that requires creative thinking, interdisciplinary problem-solving, and fresh ideas at every step. Such a marathon of insights and cross-functional collaboration doesn’t occur in a vacuum, and it doesn’t happen by accident. It requires culture. 

From the very start of Boston Scientific in 1979, I’ve been fascinated by the ways a company’s culture enables its innovation. As we look back on a tremendous year of growth, I believe culture remains our greatest asset. It’s the connective tissue that gives employees who are otherwise vastly different – with different personalities, backgrounds, skill sets and communication styles – a productive means of understanding one another. Having a culture in common unites people in service of a unified goal, provides a common language for clear communication and, crucially, lays the groundwork for the open exchange of ideas that is essential for innovation. Indeed, since my retirement in 2005, I’ve watched with admiration the ways in which Boston Scientific’s strong culture continues to guide the company to ever-greater heights. 

Creating such a culture requires deliberate planning and leadership. Here at Boston Scientific, our culture of innovation rests upon three core principles: collaboration, diverse perspectives and a strong sense of mission.

1. Create collaborative relationships 

Healthy collaboration requires respect and trust. For a team to have an open exchange of ideas, each must feel empowered to speak up, take initiative, try new things and also feel supported – and not overly discouraged – when their ideas don’t succeed. This “can-do” attitude is essential for innovation. When a person feels valued, it enables them to fully participate. 

• Model the behavior you’d like to see. Culture flows from leadership, so be sure you’re actually practicing the collaborative behavior you’d like to see. Start by being a better listener. 

• Beware of collaboration-killers. Hidden agendas, cynicism, strong egos, “kill the messenger” types, pontificators whose speaking style makes others feel small – these are some of the barriers to collaboration. All too often, people are afraid to speak up for fear of being cut down. But when they feel confident that others will listen respectfully, consider their point of view and respond with civility, even in the face of disagreement, the ideas will flow freely. 

• Make a habit of “system thinking.” Good ideas and inventions often fail in the implementation stage because the thinking focused too narrowly on the invention itself, and not enough on the context in which it would exist. Taking a more holistic approach will reveal potential barriers and new opportunities. To achieve it, encourage people to create relationships across disciplines and then to make a habit of asking one another: “What am I not seeing here?”  

• Reward excellent teamwork. We regularly give awards to teams that demonstrate outstanding collaboration, which strengthens team bonds and reinforces the importance of the behavior across the board. Whatever form of recognition you choose, make sure your praise reaches beyond the team leader to include every member. 

2. Incorporate diverse perspectives 

Nothing is ever static; everything is always changing. For that reason, innovation requires you to maintain an openness to learning new things. It also requires a sincere belief that great new ideas and insights could come from anywhere. Often, those valuable insights that help inspire fresh thinking come from what I call “non-establishment” perspectives. These are the voices that aren’t always heard – as a matter of fact, they aren’t always asked to contribute – so it’s important to seek them out. 

• Different cultures yield different approaches. Each of our cultural backgrounds influence our ways of thinking. It might give us different problem-solving approaches, reference points or understandings of the world. Whatever the source of those cultural differences (for example, different countries of origin, religions, races, genders, languages and so forth), the interplay of those perspectives can spur new ways of thinking. It can create a constructive tension that can help each of you see things differently. 

• Include independent thinkers. In your lineup of personalities, be sure to incorporate different types of trustworthy people who help challenge your organization. For example, you’ll want a constructive critic who helps put things in perspective; someone who can make “creative trouble” to breathe life into an organization; and someone who can speak truth to power. 

• Look for substance over style. A person’s degree of insight often has nothing to do with their pedigree, so when considering someone’s opinion, try not to get overly hung up on their credentials. By the same token, don’t overlook your introverts; though they may not speak as loudly as others, they may still have plenty to say. 

3. Instill your mission and values 

How do you keep all those different personalities pulling in the same direction? Create an environment in which everyone understands the common goal. Especially for an innovation-focused organization, it’s crucial to give people the ability to identify what ideas are right for the company and what is a distraction. A company’s fundamental mission becomes a North Star everyone can steer by. 

What’s more, your mission gives people a larger sense of purpose that inspires them, drives them to excellence – and keeps them resilient through a company’s inevitable ups and downs. When employees can internalize the greater mission and see the role they play within, it allows them to feel motivated, invested and focused on the long term. 

At Boston Scientific, I like to think our mission of transforming lives through innovative medical solutions serves as a unifying force for our 53,000 employees, and that each person knows how important they are to our common goal. As I reflect on an extraordinary year, I am certain it is our culture that keeps our company strong, smart and nimble. Most importantly, it allows us to do what matters most: improve the health of patients around the world. 

Learn more about the team and culture at Boston Scientific. 

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