Energizing Innovation: From Stalled to Stellar at a Major Energy Company

Situation

A giant in the energy sector, boasting impressive science, engineering, and past successes, faced a surprising reality – they were being outmaneuvered by smaller, nimbler competitors. The company's leadership acknowledged the need for a faster, more integrated approach to data, finance, and stakeholder relationships. A top-down roll-out of a new process was attempted, but after a year, it sputtered. Why? Third Angle was called in to diagnose the problem and create a new, traction-gaining solution.

The Catch

The traditional top-down approach wasn't resonating with the company culture. They needed a method that fostered engagement and empowered employees.

Innovative Actions

Consulting: Third Angle looked at the process in use, the results, and interviewed a variety of formal and informal leaders about the process, the goals and culture of the company. By synthesizing the data, perspectives, goals, and culture, using our NEWCO™ analysis and synthesis tool and technique, we hit upon an insight that caused the president to exclaim, “That’s it!” The insight led to the principle, “Let them teach each other” that served as the foundation for all other innovative plays. The plan was to develop a core set of knowledge and tools to teach project groups in real time, as they applied them to their toughest problems. Then, having learned and applied the method, as taught and coached by Third Angle, they would teach it to others in their networks and on other projects, as a natural part of the way they worked and led.

Keynote Talk: Traditionally a top-down company, getting the general buy-in of the executive team of the EVPs and VPs was critical. Third Angle presented our findings, including insights as to the culture and the way it would accept innovation by being part of innovating and teaching new things to each other. And we presented a roadmap forward. The leaders felt like we really “knew them” at a level no outsider understood before and agreed on the roadmap.

Executive Field Trips and Hands-On Epiphany Events: The president of the company invited VP’s and special project team leads to visit Third Angle for more education about how to network knowledge and learn, from subject matter experts (SMEs), the science behind networks and complex systems. This provided new perspective about how to look at their business and processes by combining science, business, and relationships early on and in a networked fashion, rather than their traditional linear and silo’d models.

Project Partnerships for Breakthroughs and Follow-Throughs/Fractal Methodology for Viral Adoption of Innovation: Third Angle consulted with a variety of projects, often those facing roadblocks and those with open-minded leaders ready to learn and innovate. Using the method, now known as Third Angle’s Way of Thriving Method™, projects broke through their “tough nut” issues (business, science, human and the integration of the three), gaining speed, unleashing talent, making money for the company, increasing trust among team members and with external stakeholders, and spreading the word that this method worked. Third Angle revisited projects and leaders after the initial consulting period to coach and make sure the application of the method and tools continued and spread.

We used a fractal model to provide similar basics across each project, yet customize to the unique environmental conditions. The fractal approach also accounted for learning and viral spread of the methods to other projects. This is modeled after the way fractals in nature (e.g., fields of clover, seashores, forests) grow. The innovation was to “roll out” the new way of working as fractals and attract interest so other projects asked for the interventions and began learning from each other.

Growth & Value

Resistance to collaboration, knowledge sharing, and rapid integration diminished significantly. Several projects achieved breakthrough performance, generating millions in value. One example: a year-long stalemate with a government leader was resolved within two weeks through a creative new solution, saving $17 million with immense upside potential and a newfound working relationship.  Most importantly, the company adopted powerful new methods for innovation that continue to empower them today.

Mini-Lessons Learned

Innovation can be centered in a physical or conceptual hub, or it can be rolled out by project or function. The first approach emphasizes theory, while the latter fosters faster adoption within the culture. A combined approach can be most effective and enduring.