Yes, And! With Avish Parashar
Avish Parashar
Podcast
Episodes
Listen, download, subscribe
060 - Say "Yes, And!" to Building a Culture of Innovation with Steve Lerch
We tend to romanticize innovation as a lightning-strike moment: someone suddenly has a brilliant idea that changes everything. But what if innovation isn't something you wait for? What if it's something you can deliberately create? In this episode, I sit down with former Google executive and innovation speaker Steve Lerch, author of INNOVATE: Igniting a Culture of Curiosity and Perpetual Improvement, to explore how leaders can create environments where people continually question assumptions, share ideas, experiment, and improve. Steve spent nearly a decade at Google, where part of his work involved teaching Google's innovation philosophy to new employees. What I find particularly interesting about his perspective is that he doesn't view innovation primarily as a technology issue. It's a people and culture issue. We explore the four themes at the heart of Steve's approach—inspiration, curiosity, openness, and structure—and some surprisingly simple ways to put them into practice. Steve explains why setting an "impossible" 10X goal can generate ideas you'd never discover by thinking incrementally, why labeling something "Version 1" changes the way people think about it, and why sharing unfinished ideas can lead to better collaboration and innovation. We also talk about psychological safety, Google's famous 20% projects, Paul McCartney brainstorming "Get Back" in front of the other Beatles, and why constraints and structure can actually increase creativity rather than restrict it. If you're a leader who wants your people to stop defaulting to "this is how we've always done it" and start looking for better ways forward, there's a lot you can take away from this conversation. Key Takeaways Innovation is a culture, not an event. Rather than waiting for inspiration to strike, leaders can create systems and environments that make innovation more likely. Use 10X goals to force different thinking. An impossible goal doesn't always need to be achieved; it can be a brainstorming tool that forces you beyond incremental solutions. Label things "Version 1." Treating processes, reports, meetings, ideas, and systems as Version 1 reminds people that they're allowed—and expected—to question and improve them. Share ideas before they're perfect. "Brainstorming out loud" lets other people contribute while an idea is still flexible enough to evolve. Psychological safety fuels innovation. People stop contributing ideas when they repeatedly feel judged, dismissed, or shut down. Seek perspectives outside your expertise. Sometimes the person who knows less about your specific problem can offer precisely the different perspective you need. Constraints can increase creativity. The right boundaries, rules, deadlines, and systems can give creative thinking direction instead of limiting it. Innovation needs structure. If creativity is always treated as something to do after the "real work" is finished, it probably won't happen. Relevant Links Steve Lerch's website: SteveLerch.com INNOVATE: Igniting a Culture of Curiosity and Perpetual Improvement: available in hardcover, paperback, audiobook, and eBook through Steve's website: https://www.stevelerch.com/book
Yes, And! With Avish Parashar RSS Feed
