Does your business’s culture encourage innovation? Or do you discourage new ideas, initiatives, and change?

“Life must be lived as play,” said Plato. Especially in difficult times, you should heed that advice and have some fun in your business. One great way is to play Innovation Bingo, an adaptation of the classic Buzzword Bingo. Innovation Bingo makes long, mind-numbing meetings more fun, and at the same time helps you see how innovation-hostile your meetings are. Here’s how to play:

1. Make your Innovation Bingo card

Divide a sheet of paper in thirds both vertically and horizontally to make a 3x3 grid.

2. Load up the card

Choose nine of the innovation-hostile sentences below, using some random method (we look to the second hand on a watch to get a random number), and write one in each of the nine squares in the grid.

(1) Yes, but… (2) We tried it before, and it doesn’t work. (3) I am very concerned that… (4) That’s against the rules. (5) We don’t have enough resources to do this. (6) It wasn’t invented here. (7) I am afraid that… (7) We’ll have to think carefully about this. (8) People will laugh at us. (9) Let’s form a committee to look into it. (10) That’s not our problem.

(11) I like the idea, but… (12) It won’t work! (13) I’m very worried that… (14) What’s the ROI for this idea? (15) Let’s not rush things. (16) I don’t like it. (17) Have you thought through the implications? (18) This is laughable. (19) You clearly don’t understand the field. (20) Write it down, and we’ll look at it later.

(21) Don’t rock the boat. (22) We’ve always done it this way. (23) That’s too risky. (24) It will cost too much. (25) It’s a good idea but we’re too invested in another idea. (26) Sounds interesting, but… (27) No one will buy it. (28) No comment. (29) That’s not the way we do things around here. (30) That’s really stupid.

(31) If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. (32) That’s fine in theory, but it doesn’t work like that. (33) We don’t have time for this. (34) Let’s commission a study. (35) Good idea, but it’s impractical. (36) It’s too much work. (37) This idea could reduce sales of an existing product. (38) It might not work. (39) Let’s talk about it later. (40) Let’s not talk about it.

(41) Be serious. (42) No one else does it. (43) It’s unfeasible. (44) We can’t make it happen. (45) It’s impossible. (46) Let me think about it. (47) It’s too radical. (48) Are you crazy? (49) We can’t do it. (50) Let’s keep it for later.

(51) This is ridiculous. (52) Hmm. (53) Are you kidding me? (54) In your dreams! (55) We’re too busy. (56) Let’s see a cost-benefit analysis first. (57) No one will understand this. (58) It’s not realistic. (59) Write a memo. (60) It’s never been done before.

Once the nine squares on your card all have innovation-hostile statements in them, you’re ready to play.

3. In your meeting, listen to win

During your meeting, listen to what’s said. Whenever you hear someone say something that’s in one of the boxes on your card (or something that means the same), then put an “X” in that box. When you have three “X”s in a row — horizontal, vertical, or diagonal — yell “Bingo!” You’ve just won! Sadly, it means that your company is losing out on innovation.

4. Learn from Innovation Bingo

Meetings clearly express an organization’s culture. Innovation Bingo shows you if your corporate culture is innovation-hostile by highlighting the language used in meetings. Innovation thrives in an environment that is open to it. If your co-workers sound like politicians, and the Innovation Bingo game is over quickly, your culture discourages innovation, growth and change.

© Dr. Detlef Reis 2011. This article was published in parallel in the Bangkok Post under the same title on 24 November 2011.