When we talk about innovation, you may reply—who needs people? Chances are that you, me and all of us do! Innovation can be viewed as a "soft" science difficult to define and hard to measure. While other business functions like manufacturing, finance and purchasing are seem more established and well, "concrete" hence they are easier to define. Finance, purchasing and manufacturing are conventional and recognized business functions with responsibilities and hierarchies. On the other hand, if we talk about innovation, the certain operations, metrics and measurements are less apparent. Few firms and business companies have metrics around innovation or processes and systems to support invention, and few have an "innovation department or unit".

And that is why people are very vital and important to an innovation initiative. It is in its ambiguity that is handled and managed by people so well. Much of the work in innovation is where common systems in transactions cannot offer much value and much of innovation’s work is at the "fuzzy front end" where there might not be several metrics and clear cut milestones. In life as in business, the most important things boil down to people. The individuals are the main ingredients to the successful innovation. If they are not compensated or encouraged to be innovative enough, no amount of systems or procedures will drive or propel an initiative in invention.

On the contrary, if they are motivated to innovate and encouraged and compensated accordingly, the processes and culture will just follow. Basically innovation is a culmination of the culture of the firm and its people. So why focus on persons? Success in any kind of endeavor is based on having the right kind of people doing the right things the right way and at the right time. People are going to enforce the systems and processes to make things work. Therefore, if you want to carry out and execute a successful invention initiative, you certainly need the right people in place to succeed.

In addition, some of the few people who really believe in an idea could conquer numerous barriers and management roadblocks. Finally, different persons can bring in different and diverse set of skills and points of view to any projects or tasks, so exposing innovations, concepts and ideas to a broad team within your firm or organization could certainly improve and enhance the chances of success with new and varied ideas. If you are browsing in the bookstore you would read the jacket notes to see what the critics have to say about it and who recommended it. I ask you to watch a film in the cinemas and you might ask, "who’s in it?" Or how about if you join a new team, project or company, you might ask, "what are they like, who else is working on this?" and "who is the boss?" A venture capitalist’s primary concern is the team in his management—who would be making this venture (and his money) work.

See, the focus is always about people.