When it comes to innovation, what’s the biggest mistake an SMB leader can make? According to renowned business thinker Rosabeth Moss Kanter, the most significant errors are “generally not errors of commission.” Or, as a former boss of mine used to put it more bluntly: “If you’re not failing, you’re not trying.” Both statements point to a crucial truth: in today’s rapidly changing business environment, the riskiest approach is often the lack of innovation, the error of omission.

So, if sitting on the sidelines is the greater danger, why do so many businesses hesitate to truly embrace innovation?

Overcoming the Barriers to Innovation

I believe two primary factors hold businesses back:

• The Perception of “Big Risk”: Innovation is often equated with large, costly projects with a low chance of a home-run success.
• Inherent Resistance to Change: Most of us are programmed to favor familiar paths and incremental improvements, rather than venturing into the unknown.

The key to unlocking real innovation, then, is twofold: first, to commit to making “Errors of Commission” in the most intelligent way possible, and second, to cultivate an openness to ideas from unusual sources and unexpected places.

Failing Smart to Succeed Sooner

The renowned design firm IDEO champions the mantra: “Fail early and fail often in order to succeed sooner.” This isn’t an invitation for recklessness; it’s a strategy that seeks out small wins and valuable learning through rapid prototyping and the quick, inexpensive testing of new ideas. This approach dramatically de-risks the innovation process.

As your fractional CIO, I often help SMBs implement this mindset. By building your innovation process around a commitment to testing ideas quickly and cost-effectively; perhaps through pilot programs for new software, A/B testing digital strategies, or small-scale trials of new operational processes, you achieve several things:

• You can test more ideas from more sources.
• The cost of any single “failure” (which is really a learning opportunity) is minimal.
• You become inherently more open to exploring those initially “unusual” ideas that might just hold the key to a breakthrough.

What’s Next

Instead of fearing missteps, commit today to a culture of intelligent experimentation. Encourage your team to “fail early, fail often, and fail in new and unusual ways” as a clear path to succeeding sooner and driving new growth. Let well-managed “Errors of Commission” become your SMB’s secret weapon for outmaneuvering the competition and truly changing the game.

Is your SMB equipped to make intelligent “errors of commission” and turn learning into a competitive advantage? If you’re looking for a strategic partner to help you build a framework for innovation and smart experimentation with your technology and processes, Succeed Sooner Consulting is ready to help you get started.