Episode 49

Is Innovation Measurable?

by Sannah Vinding | Oct 11, 2022 | Leadership, Management, Strategy

E49 Mind the Innovation leadership podcast guest Esther Gons

When was the last time you heard someone say “I don’t measure innovation?” That’s because measuring innovation has become a key part of running a successful company. In today’s competitive market, companies need to innovate constantly to stay ahead of their competition. However, measuring innovation isn’t always easy. This episode provides tips on how to measure innovation effectively so that you can improve your company’s performance.

In this episode, we have guest Esther Gons, CEO and Co-Founder at GroundControl and Co-Author of Innovation Accounting and The Corporate Startup.

Host

Sannah Vinding

Guest

Esther Gons

Episode

E49

Key takeaways

Diversity is important for any team, especially when working on something new. Only by having different perspectives can you achieve the best result.

If you are able to invalidate something really quick you can put your effort towards more optimistic ideas that are more validated.

Innovation is actually really difficult and requires a diverse group of people. To succeed, you need a diverse group of people who are willing to put in the effort.

Esther shares her thoughts on how innovations begin with your company’s definition of innovation. She also talks about how innovation is really hard work and how diversity within your team provides different perspectives and this helps you to get the best results.

If learning is your core business as an innovation team, then learning should be your core metric.

Esther Gons

Innovation is hard to define but easy to recognize. Innovators are constantly coming up with new ways to solve problems and improve processes. They’re always thinking outside the box, and they’re willing to take risks to try something different. They’re also open to feedback and criticism, which is why they’re able to adapt quickly to changing circumstances. There are many ways to measure innovation, but the best way is by observing the behavior of innovators themselves. By watching how they interact with others, you can see how they approach challenges differently than traditional thinkers. And by studying their actions, you can understand how they go about solving problems.

Esther Gons

CEO and Co-Founder at GroundControl

Co-Author of The Corporate Startup + Innovation Accounting.

International speaker on topics of corporate innovation, innovation accounting, portfolio management and startups, and a respected expert appearing as a guest on numerous podcasts that focus on innovation. She was recently named to Inside Outside’s 2022 Watchlist: Women in Innovation.

LinkedIn

Check out the book: Innovation Accounting

Contact Esther

I learned early on actually, that failure is actually the best way to learn.

Esther Gons

The best way to drive innovation is to make sure everyone knows how well their teams are doing. This means measuring learning outcomes. It means making sure that every employee has access to data on their own performance. It means providing feedback to help people improve. Learning is essential to innovation. Without learning, there is no innovation. So, when you’re trying to drive innovation, make sure you measure learning

You need indicators for you to understand that funnel is filled in a balanced way.

Esther Gons

Innovation is hard to measure. There are many different ways to define it, and there are many different ways to measure it. Some organizations focus solely on product development, while others look at the entire process of developing a product from idea to launch. Still, others look at the overall impact of an organization’s innovations. Regardless of the approach, measuring innovation is critical to understanding how successful your efforts are.

Listen Now

Related Episodes

How Active Listening Transformed a Controls Expert Into a Stronger Leader – Charles Johnson – Lynxspring – Episode 123

by Sannah Vinding | Aug 26, 2025 | Electronics Industry, Leadership, Management, Strategy

Discover how active listening transformed Charles Johnson, Lead Trainer at Lynxspring and host of It’s a Controls Problem, into a stronger leader. In this Leadership in Manufacturing episode, learn practical lessons on communication, collaboration, and building a learning culture in technical teams.

Why Authentic Stories Win Over Even the Most Technical Buyers – Jacob Baldwin – United Grinding North Amercia, Episode 122

by Sannah Vinding | Aug 12, 2025 | Customer Centric, Electronics Industry, Leadership, Manufacturer, Marketing Manufacturing, Strategy

Bonus episode with Jacob Baldwin on authentic storytelling in manufacturing marketing and why customer voices build trust and brand value.

New Episodes

Bi-Weekly Tuesday

Want to Be a Guest?

Come on the show

Listen

Podcast | YouTube Channel

Is Innovation Measurable? Esther Gons – Episode 49

Episode 49

Is Innovation Measurable?

Host

Guest

Episode

Key takeaways

If learning is your core business as an innovation team, then learning should be your core metric.

Esther Gons

Esther Gons

I learned early on actually, that failure is actually the best way to learn.

You need indicators for you to understand that funnel is filled in a balanced way.

Listen Now

Related Episodes

How Active Listening Transformed a Controls Expert Into a Stronger Leader – Charles Johnson – Lynxspring – Episode 123

Why Authentic Stories Win Over Even the Most Technical Buyers – Jacob Baldwin – United Grinding North Amercia, Episode 122

New Episodes

Want to Be a Guest?

Listen

Welcome! You’re on your way to becoming a better leader.