Innovation often gets tangled up in complex strategies and buzzwords, missing what matters most – the human side of change. For business leaders facing rapid market shifts, building a culture that embraces new ideas isn’t just helpful – it’s essential for survival. Through his work transforming established companies, Daniele Laratta has uncovered key principles that turn innovation from a boardroom slogan into everyday reality. His approach strips away the complexity, focusing on what actually drives meaningful change in organizations.
Rethinking How Business Evolves
You might think innovation is all about the latest gadgets or software updates. Daniele sees it differently. “Innovation isn’t just about technology—it’s about mindset,” he says, pointing out what many leaders miss. “If you’re not actively fostering innovation, you’re falling behind.”
After watching businesses struggle with change, Daniele breaks it down to three key strategies that actually work:
Make Experimentation Safe
Most companies talk about innovation, but few make it safe to actually do it. Daniele has seen this firsthand, helping businesses break free from decades-old ways of working. “Innovation thrives where failure is seen as learning, not as a liability,” he explains. “Leaders must create a space where teams feel safe to experiment.” To prove this point, he’s helped companies tear down business models that stood for decades, rebuilding them for what’s next. The secret wasn’t getting everything perfect out of the gate. Instead, it was giving people room to test, learn, and adjust course. “It wasn’t about getting it right the first time—it was about iterating, testing, and adapting,” he notes. His advice is straightforward: “Empower your people to take smart risks!”
Remove Barriers to New Ideas
Harsh truth is, your company’s old ways of doing things might be killing new ideas before they have a chance. Daniele has seen it countless of times – good ideas dying in a maze of meetings and approvals. “Processes, hierarchy, and outdated policies can kill creativity,” he points out. “Leaders need to challenge traditional models.” He’s put this into practice, leading teams that brought new tech into old systems. The twist? Success came from listening to the people actually doing the work. “I’ve led cross-functional teams charged to integrate new technology that would improve efficiency and introduce cost savings,” he shares. “We achieved this by listening to frontline employees—the ones closest to the problem.” His conclusion? “The best ideas often come from within!”
Build Innovation into the Culture
Innovation isn’t something you can schedule for Tuesday afternoons. It needs to run through everything you do. “Innovation isn’t a one-time project; it must be embedded into your company’s DNA,” Daniele stresses. This means rethinking how you reward people and how teams work together. He pushes companies to back up their innovation talk with action. That means putting real rewards behind creative problem-solving and smart risk-taking. It means getting different departments talking and working together in new ways. “That means aligning incentives with creative problem-solving, rewarding calculated risk-taking, and ensuring cross-functional collaboration,” he explains. The goal? Making innovation feel as natural as checking email. “Your team needs to see innovation as a daily habit—not just a leadership slogan.”
Sometimes the hardest part is just getting started. Daniele keeps it simple: “What’s one thing you can do today to fuel innovation in your organization?” He suggests starting with a basic question to your team: “What’s one thing we could do differently?” But here’s the key part – you have to act on what you hear. Through years of helping companies change and grow, Daniele has seen what works and what doesn’t. Innovation isn’t magic – it’s methodical. It’s about creating space for new ideas, backing up words with action, and building teams that aren’t afraid to try new things.
Connect with Daniele Laratta on LinkedIn to explore innovation strategies, visit his website to learn more about his approach to organizational transformation, or schedule a consultation through his Calendly to discuss how to build a culture of innovation in your organization.
