You push your team to think bigger, solve problems faster, and come up with better ideas.
But what you often get is the same recycled answers, the same tired processes, and that dreaded phrase:
“Kasi po ganito na talaga ginagawa namin dati.”
Sound familiar?
You want innovation.
But it feels like you’re dragging creativity out of people instead of unlocking it.
You’re not alone.
Many Filipino supervisors and managers face the same challenge:
How do we build a truly innovative culture—without needing a million-peso budget or a Silicon Valley environment?
I’ve seen this happen up close.
Great leaders aren’t born—they’re built, habit by habit.
Get the Leadership Habits Series—real stories, 3 action steps, 2 mistakes to avoid, and 1 question to 10x your results. Delivered weekly. Free.
The Innovation That Started With a Sticky Note
I once worked with a mid-level manager from a utilities company in Mandaluyong.
She didn’t have a title like “Innovation Officer.” She didn’t have a special team or fancy tools.
What she did have was a sticky note on her desk that read:
“What can we improve today?”
Every Monday, she’d ask her team one small question:
“What’s one thing we did last week that we can make better?”
The first few weeks? Nothing.
But slowly, something shifted.
People started offering suggestions. Small changes. Better ways to handle complaints.
Then, new processes. Even new ideas for services.
No one called it innovation. But that’s exactly what it was.
Innovation doesn’t need a title. It needs a trigger.
What Most Leaders Get Wrong About Innovation
You might believe that innovation is a big event.
“We need an offsite.”
“We need new software.”
“We need permission from top leadership.”
But that belief is what keeps teams stuck.
Here’s the shift:
Innovation isn’t a one-time thing. It’s a leadership habit.
And the good news? You don’t need to wait for permission—or a bigger budget—to build it.
The Science Behind Everyday Innovation
A 2020 study from The Journal of Organizational Behavior found that teams engaged in small, daily acts of idea generation—called micro-innovations—were more likely to sustain creative momentum and adaptability over time.
These micro-innovations weren’t massive changes.
They were small, intentional adjustments—and they were driven by leaders who invited experimentation.
In short: consistency beats brilliance.
Let’s talk about how.
7 Steps to Build a Culture of Everyday Innovation
(That Any Filipino Leader Can Start—Even Without a Big Budget)
1. Make Curiosity a Ritual
Creativity begins with curiosity.
But most workplaces unintentionally shut it down.
If no one asks questions like “Why do we do it this way?” or “What if we tried something else?”—you’re not building innovation. You’re building compliance.
How to start:
End every weekly meeting by asking each team member:
↳ “What made you curious this week?”
↳ “What surprised you?”
↳ “What problem did you notice that we keep tolerating?”
Example:
A BPO supervisor in Taguig started doing this during huddles.
After three weeks, one agent asked why their ticket process took 7 clicks.
They streamlined it to 4—and saved hours weekly.
It started with a question.
2. Ask for Ideas—Then Act Fast on One
A common mistake: asking for ideas, then filing them in a folder called “To Review.”
When your team sees their ideas ignored, they stop offering them.
How to start:
Run a 15-minute “idea drop” every Friday.
Have the team submit 1 improvement idea each.
Choose one small idea and implement it within 5 working days.
↳ The goal isn’t scale. It’s momentum.
Example:
A retail branch team in Cebu suggested moving frequently asked items closer to the entrance.
They tested it. Sales went up 8% in two weeks.
Fast action builds trust—and that fuels more ideas.
3. Celebrate Tries, Not Just Wins
In many Filipino workplaces, failure is feared.
People stay quiet because they don’t want to be wrong or “mapahiya.”
If you only reward success, you’ll only get safe answers.
How to start:
Create a “Tried Something New” segment in your team check-ins.
Let people share what they attempted—even if it didn’t work. Then ask:
↳ “What did we learn?”
↳ “What will we do differently next time?”
Example:
A government office manager in Pampanga encouraged her team to try new formats for their reports. One was messy, but another cut down review time by 50%.
Innovation needs a lab—not a courtroom.
4. Assign Rotating “Innovation Scouts”
If your team only thinks within the walls of your office, you’ll never break out of old thinking.
How to start:
Each week, assign someone to be your “Innovation Scout.”
Their job? Bring in one new idea from outside your team—something they read, watched, or experienced.
↳ This keeps your team scanning the world, not just reacting to it.
Example:
A construction firm’s project manager shared a process from the airline industry to improve their daily safety checklist.
Innovation lives in cross-industry thinking.
5. Hold “Improve One Thing” Fridays
Improvement doesn’t need to be complicated.
Sometimes, it’s as simple as moving a form online or changing how you start a meeting.
How to start:
Block the last 30 minutes of every last Friday of the month.
Ask:
↳ “What’s one thing we can improve today—without needing approval from top management?”
Example:
A school admin team in Bulacan switched from printed memos to a group chat for real-time updates.
Saved time. Reduced confusion.
No memo. Just momentum.
6. Map the Innovation Blockers
You want ideas—but your people may feel blocked.
Sometimes, it’s culture.
Sometimes, it’s process.
Sometimes, it’s you.
How to start:
Ask anonymously:
↳ “What makes it hard to suggest or try new things here?”
Then: pick one blocker to remove this quarter.
Example:
An HR team found out their “3-level approval” was killing creativity. They changed it to “try small, report results.”
More speed. More ownership.
7. Make Innovation Part of Performance Conversations
What you measure signals what you value.
If creativity is invisible in your performance reviews, it’s invisible in your culture too.
How to start:
In quarterly conversations, ask:
↳ “What’s one new thing you tried?”
↳ “What idea did you bring to the team?”
↳ “How are you growing your creative muscle?”
Example:
A call center in Ortigas added “experiments initiated” to their team lead KPIs.
Within one cycle, they had 12 new workflow upgrades—and zero complaints from leadership.
Final Thought (And What’s Coming Next)
You don’t need a special title, big office, or innovation fund.
You just need to lead with curiosity, consistency, and courage.
Remember:
Innovation is not a department. It’s a daily decision.
So here’s your next move:
Pick one of the seven steps.
Try it this week.
Let your team surprise you—and themselves.
In our next insight, we’ll explore how to align your team’s creative energy with your strategic priorities—so your best ideas don’t just sound good, they move the business forward.
Let’s build toward that.
Together.
Jef Menguin
