Network neglect

One of the most significant lessons I will take away from the "great recession" is to make building your network a constant priority. During the really good years, I had my head down, working hard, moving to new locations for new assignments and leaving behind all those potentially rich relationships with the people I came to know professionally and personally. I look back now wondering how different things might be or the experiences I might have missed out on should I have just taken the time to stay in touch more regularly.

One of the challenges I had with rebuilding my network was where to start. To help you out, here are three good episodes of Manager Tools podcasts on networks and Linkedin.

http://www.manager-tools.com/2006/05/building-a-network
http://www.manager-tools.com/2010/04/getting-started-with-linkedin-part-1
http://www.manager-tools.com/2010/04/getting-started-with-linkedin-part-2

How do you stay connected to your network?

The process of innovation?

I have been reflecting on the answers I received on a posted question "Do you have experience with implementing an innovation culture and/or process?" Not surprising was a good discussion on the subject. After sifting through all the responses I was able to sketch out the following consistent themes;

1) Support of innovation efforts has to come from highest possible level of organization.
2) Innovation needs to be tied to the strategic focus of the division or organization.

Assuming these two criteria exist, which can be easier said than done, there was then a debate about the best way to structure teams to deliver innovative projects.

1) Innovation teams need to be isolated from the main organization and not subject to the same development processes and bureaucracy that mature or core projects are.
OR
2) You can use your existing teams and development process as long as the innovation is solidly defined prior to development.

How do you approach innovation?